


From Darkness arose the Light

by Bebec



Series: In the beginning [2]
Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angel Wings, Angst and Humor, Demons, Developing Relationship, Drama & Romance, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fallen Angels, Heaven & Hell, Past Lives, Season/Series 01, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-10 19:45:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 56,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12306414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bebec/pseuds/Bebec
Summary: Sequel " L'Étoile du Matin ".Everything has a beginning. Everything. Even free will…Where did it start?With two young people so close and yet so different.





	1. Eve

**Author's Note:**

> Hello  
> I didn't want to write in French my other story (which is the french version of this one) or translate the other chapters of Le Diable n'a jamais peur. So, I started translating the sequel of L'Étoile du Matin. Yes, another translated story ^^  
> So, if you remember...  
> Lucifer discovered that his twin Michael is behind his aggression. He also had to get back his wings in Hell to have a chance to defeat him, if it's that what God wants.  
> I haven't finished yet to write the story in French. The story makes about more than thirty chapters and there are already seventeen chapters published. It's really a big big project and I hope you'll like it as much as I like to write it so far.  
> This is the prologue of Des Ténèbres naquit la Lumière - a flash-back about Lucifer's past in Heaven.  
> Happy reading to everyone!  
> Let a comment if you want to share your thoughts, etc.

She was kneeling down near the stream, caressing the light surface of the water with her thin fingers. 

He watched her play with the flow, diving her entire hand in the cool water and letting it run down her fingers, being amazed by these simple crystalline drops falling down from her damp hand. He watched her thin, perfect face. Like the rest of her body. Like everything else. Her pale eyes lined with long eyelashes. Her long, silky hair falling into a golden cascade against her bare shoulder to her waist. Her thin, red mouth widening into a radiant smile, a wider and brighter smile at every passing moment. Her perfect features, her thin body lying casually along the stream on the flowered, soft grass. 

She was perfect. 

It couldn't have been otherwise. She'd been created this way. Perfect. As perfect as the landscape around her, as perfect as the being from which she was originate. 

_Perfect._

He continued to look at her from his hiding place, a big tree called  _weeping willow_ if he wasn't wrong about this. There were so many trees, here. It wasn't necessary to hide, he could talk to her if he wanted to. But keeping his distance seemed preferable. He leaned against the flowered tree, staring and analyzing the slightest gestures of the creature. 

She was so different from the other creations. 

More complicated. More considered. 

With more extensive and more encouraging abilities than anything else. Less encouraging than his but almost equal. 

If  ** _H_** _e_  gave her that opportunity. 

The creature sat up in front of the stream, slowly diving her thin legs in the water, closing her eyes at ease. It looked nice. Was it, really? Why was it nice? He saw her gently move her feet, causing minimal eddies in the present flow. Her golden hair caressed her well-drawn chest, half-hiding it from his sight. 

She looked like him and was subtly different from him. 

The same build but clearly not the same lineage. How did  ** _H_** _e_  call them?  _Humans?_ A singular designation for these creatures. They were different from the other living creations in this place, of course. Much more fascinating. Especially her. The other creature, the male – odd word to distinguish them – wasn't interesting for him. He was fascinated by her. This human. This woman. Created for man, created _from_  man. He watched her laughing at the sight of other creatures skillfully jumping out of the water to quickly going back into it.  _Fishes_. Other basic living beings created by  ** _H_** _is_   ** _F_** ather. 

This sound was truly beautiful. 

It gave rise to new sensations inside him. Something warm in his abdomen. Something sweet...

He saw her straighten up and run on the bank, still laughing by seeing the fishes. This creature was full of life. Marveling with anything and everything. He understood  ** _H_** _is_ ** _F_** ather's pride for this creation in particular. 

However, the reasoning behind this was beyond understanding to him. Senseless. Incomplete. 

He shifted slightly, looking at the huge knotted, glowing tree standing further away in the green valley. The golden leaves were gently ruffled by the fresh, scented breeze which also ruffled his own black hair. This tree placed right in the middle of this place, proudly standing in front of all these creatures. This tree containing more than a simple sap. 

Within easy reach... and yet inaccessible for them. For her. 

Why? 

Why was the excuse given by  ** _H_** _is_   ** _F_** ather? If they ate its fruit, they'll die? 

Why? 

It was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. How was knowledge a bad thing? Why  _knowing_ could be causing death? He knew things himself, many things. He wasn't on the decline.  

Not as far as he knew, anyway. 

His brothers and sisters would probably have had a very different answer, too annoyed by his behavior seen as immature and impudent. Impudent to who?  ** _H_** _im?_ Them? It was ridiculous. He liked having fun, laughing, watching, talking. They didn't. Or maybe they didn't want to show it openly, fearing their ** _F_** ather's retaliation? Why? He'd already paid for it if it'll be the case. He didn't feel particularly privileged than the rest of his family. He was always seen as the  _Favorite Son_. A title that annoyed him. He found it more suitable, more deserved by his other brother... His twin. He did nothing special to obtain this unofficial honorary title. 

Nothing. 

He looked again at the Tree of the Knowledge, frowning with intense thinking. No, he didn't understand how knowledge could be such a terrible thing for these creatures. Some things didn't make any sense.  ** _H_** _e_ claimed to have made them in  ** _H_** _is_   ** _I_** mage. And yet,  ** _H_** _e_  denied them a tenth of  ** _H_** _is_   ** _O_** wn  ** _K_** nowledge. Not a tenth. It was excessive. A tiny part of this knowledge was forbidden to them. 

Why create beings in his image and prevent them from evolving? From thinking? 

Was reflection such an evil thing? Was it evil for them? Why was he allowed to think, to evolve when they weren't? 

Being God's Son shouldn't mean more, shouldn't deserve more...

That was not fair. 

 ** _H_** _is_ ** _F_** ather advocated free will. Choice. Freedom. 

How being ignorant of your condition, of your possibilities could be freedom? It was quite the contrary to him. They should have the opportunity to choose, to think, to refuse, to accept...Not just unquestioningly obeying a deep, pervasive voice. 

That was stupid. Unproductive. Useless. As ridiculous as possible.

A dead end.  

 ** _H_** _is_   ** _F_** ather was wrong this time. That kind of thing could happen to the best. He felt hesitant. Torn between the desire to show  ** _H_** _im_ this mistake, to prove it... and the desire to ignore all this. To continue submissively following  _The Most High_ 's Orders. That desire was pretty weak, though. Obedience had never been his thing but rather his brothers and sisters thing. 

Should he talk about it with  ** _H_** _im?_

Just physically showing this mistake to  ** _H_** _im?_ Helping  ** _H_** _im_  to change things in the right way, the most logical way for him? 

He remained hesitant. 

He saw the woman lean against a distant tree, sitting against its trunk. She brought her knees up to her chest and closed her eyes, a smile of contentment enlightening her perfect face. She was beautiful, he had to concede this to  ** _H_** _is_   ** _D_** _ear_ ** _O_** _ld_ ** _D_** _ad._  

Really beautiful. 

It wasn't the same beauty sported by his sisters, an unrivalled beauty, even by a human being. Her beauty was subtler, requiring a deeper watching to fully enjoy it. A much greater beauty for him. 

A physical beauty emphasized by her new, unique nature. It was really a waste to let such a beauty declining with ignorance. Another breeze lifted the young woman's golden hair, revealing her curved breasts. He smiled. Nudity wasn't a bad thing, anyway. 

" Samael. " 

He turned quickly towards the newcomer, the grass to his feet flattening under the pressure trained by the wings. He leaned against the tree which hitherto served as a hiding place, crossing his arms against his chest. The newcomer landed softly on the ground, his silvery wings totally spread out on both sides of his broad shoulders. They were a perfect reproduction of his, except the color. His were as white and immaculate as the Light itself. A realization of the very principle of Light. They were so alike both... and they were subtly different. The hair color, the eyes color, the wings, the behavior...

So similar. And so different. 

He gave a self-satisfied smile to his brother while he lowered his big wings with a sharp gesture from his shoulders. 

Michael looked at him coldly before glaring at the sleeping woman. 

" What are you doing here, brother? ", he asked him coldly. 

He looked in turn at the woman innocently lying against the trunk of the flowered tree, her long hair almost covering her like a sheet. He smiled at this view. Without turning to his brother, his onyx eyes still looking at the lovely creature, he said: 

" I just enjoy a breathing space by fully admiring the  ** _O_** _ld_ ** _M_** _an_ 's wonderful creations. " 

Michael grimaced by hearing this designation of their  ** _F_** ather, not fond of this kind of offhand expressions to qualify  ** _H_** _im._  He silently looked at scornfully his brother still casually leaning against the big weeping willow, probably trying to find him some transgressions to confess. Samael waited for his brother to stop his suspicious analysis, become accustomed to be systematically suspected of duplicitous actions. His family didn't know how to have fun. Fortunately, he was there to fix this. 

" I am truly impressed by this new creature. A symbol of pure beauty, don't you think? ", he continued more lightly by giving an amused look to his brother torturing his own mind unnecessarily. " How did  ** _H_** _e_ call her? "

" Eve. ", answered Michael reticently, staring at disdainfully the so-called creature. 

Samael nodded, agreed with this name. Very well chosen. 

"  _The source of life._..So appropriate! ", he cheerfully agreed. 

Her name revealed the illogical nature of her situation.  ** _H_** _e_  was refusing her a full and complete existence by this stupid ban. This injustice imposed itself more in his torn mind. An injustice that had to be rectified. Very shortly. 

" What are you plotting again, Sammy? ", Michael accused him, suspicious and too much clever for his own good. 

He moved from the tree and made a few steps towards his brother, his wings gently rubbing the damp ground behind him. Samael shrugged, pretending to be surprised. 

" Why should I always plot something? ", he was offended, showing a sullen expression on his face. 

Michael clenched his fists, reasonably irritated by his brother's behavior but too careful to give free rein to his rage. He feared too much  ** _T_** _he_ ** _M_** _ost-_ ** _H_** _igh_ ** _M_** _an_  for this. His brother loosened the tension in his fists, deeply exhaling to calm down and then looked him in the eye. 

" ** _H_** _e_  asks you. Do not keep  ** _H_** _im_ waiting for you, Samael. ", he warned him in a toneless voice. 

Samael raised his arms to express his surrender, a mischievous smile on his lips.

" At your command! ", he exclaimed, not in the least impressed by Michael's imperious tone. 

Michael spread out his huge wings with another gesture of shoulders, disappearing in a strong breeze that violently ruffling Samael's dark hair and the greenery around. He sighed, already tired by the future divine talk. He looked over his shoulder the woman still deeply asleep against the tree and smiled more. 

_" Eve... "_


	2. Monsters hate Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to present time now!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!   
> Thanks for the kudos, comments and bookmarks!  
>  Here is the next chapter with our dear devil **   
> The story passed between episode 9 and 10 of the first season, so Linda doesn't know yet that Lucifer is the real Devil.   
> The chapters aren't really big at first, but they'll become longer after the chapter 7.   
> Happy reading and let a little comment if you like the story (it's highly appreciated and a real motive!)

" Lucifer?  _Lucifer!_  "

Lucifer jumped slightly and sat up in his chair to situate the person who hailed his name. 

Doctor Linda was standing at the door, a smile on her face. He arose quickly, banishing his dark thoughts that had assaulted him for some time from his mind. Thoughts that disrupted his attention. He generally liked thinking. Some thoughts could be delightful debauches, indeed. But those that blocked his mind couldn't be included in this wonderful class, sadly. 

He smoothed the noble fabric of his black jacket out before giving a charming smile to the therapist. She was wearing a well-cut and quite tasteful white suit according to Lucifer's expert eyes. Her long blond hair surrounded her round face, her features wrinkled by intense reflection. 

Was she thinking about him? 

He was used to arouse the interest and desire of all humans who met him. But Linda should have got used to his intoxicating presence, shouldn't she? It wasn't like there were only chaste and traditional sessions between them! Lovely periods...

Periods that made Lucifer smile even more. What a shame they had to deal with banal talking sessions now! He always could do with a good shag. 

Well...Maybe it was for the best. Given what happened with the detective. Which was the main reason of his presence here, in Linda's waiting room, getting lost in darker and more complicated thoughts than usual. Lucifer generally avoided the inconveniences followed from intense personal thinking. 

_" Boring, boring, boring! "_

He rebuttoned his jacket before approaching the office, Linda moving away to let him in. 

" Hello, darling! ", he said joyfully as he went inside the office. 

Linda answered him by another smile and gently closed the door behind him, isolating them both from the rest of her patients still waiting in the adjoining room. Lucifer stood between the couch and the coffee table, turning towards the therapist, his hands finding once more their way to his pockets. Linda dropped the handle of the door before walking to her own seat, Lucifer keeping watching her. 

" It's been a while since our last session, Lucifer. ", she remarked, sitting in front of him.

Lucifer also took a seat on the uncomfortable couch provided for the patients. 

" Ha! Tell me about it! I've been pretty busy for weeks! I had more free time when I was ruling Hell! ", he complained, pouring himself a glass of water. 

He took a sip under his therapist's inquisitive eyes, a look he was used to. What could she think of? Was she trying to read his hellish hint into any rational way? Lucifer was getting tired of Dr. Linda's tenacious denial to think that his words were just a complicated metaphor to interpret in common language. He'd found this rather funny at the beginning. As always. But, in the end, not being fully seen for who he really was annoyed more than anything else. This tended to minimize his position in this world. Minimizing his power. 

He was the Lord of Hell. Lucifer. The seducer fallen archangel. 

His therapist nodded, pensive. She put her pen on her notebook that she held against her crossed legs. 

" What was taking up your time? ", she asked softly. 

He drank again before putting the glass on the table in front of him and leaned more comfortably on the couch, a slight sight of annoyance crossing his lips. 

" Where do I begin? Well... The detective and I were investigating a challenging series of murders before being targeted. Well...Before  **I** was targeted by the killer! ", he rectified, raising a hand to accompany his speech. 

His therapist squinted, more and more puzzled as Lucifer talked about the events and the recent murder attempts against him with a surprisingly quiet and playful tone. When he finished on his twin's predictable implication in this mafia mockery, Lucifer waited patiently for Linda to give a commentary on his irrevocably metaphorical story. According to her human point of view, of course. 

Linda looked at the of the room while gently pinching her lips, apparently dealing with an intense reflection. 

" So, if I sum up what you've just told me... A former discontented employee of yours would have tried to kill you at your twin's behest... _Michael?_  ", she repeated thoughtfully. 

She grabbed her pen, evidently intending to write something in her notebook but stopped immediately, not knowing what to write about this. 

" He wasn't just a banal discontented employer, Doctor. ", he rectified, crossing his hands on his knees, a slight smile on his flirtatious lips. " Alastor was the very first demon I created. A wasted creation, if you ask me. You'd think children systematically do the same mistakes than their parents! " 

" What about your brother? ", she asked. 

" Micky? "

" It's the first time I heard about him. When was the last time you saw him? "

" When  **F** ather kicked me out of the house, of course! Remember your Sunday school, Doctor! ", he teased her with his usual mocking smile. " It was Michael himself who threw me out of Heaven at  _Holy_   **D** ad's behest... ", he spat with a much more bitter tone. " He always liked being at  **O** ur  **A** sshole  **F** ather's beck and call like a cute little lamb!  _Twins_...You'd think we're only identical by the physical appearance. " 

He gently rubbed his fingers together, his mind struggling with memories arousing dark emotions inside him by talking about this bloody jerk. He saw his therapist squinting, which was indicating a future therapeutic assault to reveal his emotional potential. 

She didn't bloody understand...

He wanted to shut the door to unnecessary emotions that disturbed him more and more often. Shut the door...And not damn open it! 

" I don't think you're both so different, Lucifer... ", she objected quietly. 

Lucifer smirked and squinted in turn, wondering where she was going with this. 

" Are we now, Doctor? Why? ", he asked, curious. 

" Correct me if I'm wrong, but you've been thrown out of Heaven by God to rule Hell, haven't you? What you've done...for thousands of years. You have obeyed to your father, then. Until now. Just like your brother. So, you're not that different... ", she revealed. 

Lucifer tensed in the couch, his jaw tensing too by hearing this possible likeness between him and Michael. He was not like him. 

He was Lucifer. 

He didn't obey anyone! No one!  he didn't want this! 

He sat upright on the couch, giving her a death stare. 

" I had no choice. ", he justified himself, quite upset. 

" We all have a choice, Lucifer. ", she interrupted him quietly with a comforting smile. 

Lucifer opened his mouth to protest but closed it quickly. These were the same words that Franck had said in this odd, foggy vision. 

The choice. 

A trickery notion created by his  **D** ad! 

The choice implied to not control his little creations anymore. Something  **H** e would never tolerate. Never. Lucifer had hardly learned his lesson. A long time ago. 

The choice didn't exist. 

He stared at his therapist. She was waiting for any reaction from him, of course. Lucifer leaned his hands against his knees as he sat up on the couch, an annoyed sigh crossing his mouth again. 

" I'm not here to talk about these unreal choices made by **T** he  **H** ighly  **D** ouche for millennia! ", he protested, being on the defensive. 

Linda raised her hands as a sign of calming and surrender, a gesture that instantly calmed Lucifer. She put then her thin hands on her bare knees. 

" What do you want to talk about? ", she asked him as a professional. 

" This whole series of unpleasant events showed my real identity to the detective... ", he began. 

" Didn't she already know that? ", she asked, puzzled. 

" She'd refused to believe me so far. Let's just say that some concrete  _visual_ elements convinced her that I was telling the truth about me. ", he said, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. 

Amazing visual elements, indeed! 

Angel wings, demonic powers, a bloody sadist superior demon – an adjective which took on quite a different meaning when he came from the Lord of Hell -, his own divine powers...

Fortunately, Chloe didn't lose her mind after all this! 

Chloe was much more tenacious than he could have thought. Another side of her that increased his fascination for her. Fascination turning into something odd. Something pleasant and troublesome too. He couldn't put a specific word on it. That was why he was actually sitting on this cheap couch. 

" What's bothering you, Lucifer? ", asked Linda's sweet voice. 

Lucifer got out of his mind, focusing on his therapist again. She had obviously noticed his confusion. And she wanted to look deeper into it. Of course. 

So be it. 

" She saw...the  _real_ me. ", he whispered without looking at her, pensive. " She saw me and... she didn't run away. ", he finished, this last observation seeming to plunge him into a total surprise. 

He raised his head to Linda seated in front of him, watching for possible answers about the detective's strange behavior. And about his own strange sensations. The therapist leaned back in her seat, a slight smile on her lips. 

" It's a good thing, isn't it? ", she pointed out. 

Lucifer sat up slightly, letting out a disdainful exclamation. 

She really didn't understand anything! 

" This is bloody insane, Doctor! ", he tried to make her understand, humans seemed to have serious difficulties to handle basic notions sometimes. " I'm the Devil! A monster! An evil being! Every single human being who discovered my true nature was immediately frightened by what I represented... by what I truly am! And yet, that's not the case with the detective. I don't understand her reaction. Is she mentally unstable or-…? ", he exclaimed, lost. 

There was a brief moment of silence before Linda spoke again, picking up on Lucifer's reasonable words: 

" Since we started these sessions, you have been striving to assume the Devil's very image, the original monster... You seem to be the only one to see these darkness inside you. ", She explained in a usual serene tone to Lucifer's ears. 

He let out another sardonic exclamation before really laughing at her ludicrous and simplistic observation. He didn't overplay at all. 

She didn't believe him. And thus, she only saw in his speech a common exaggeration. 

So disappointing...

Before he could reply anything, the therapist spoke again, disturbing more Lucifer's dark thoughts: 

" There may be more Light in you than you think...or than you dare to admit. "  

Him... _Light?_

Before, maybe. 

Certainly not anymore. 

This was a well-known fact...

Monsters hate Light. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TBC with..." Wanna bet? "   
> _______________________________
> 
> Thanks for reading me as always ^^ The story is rather quiet with the first chapters but it won't last long, don't worry!   
> Don't be too shy, let me a little comment!   
> The next chapter will come soon as the next one of "Le Diable n'a jamais peur "   
> Bye!


	3. Wanna bet?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello everyone!   
> A big thank you for the comments, kudos and many views on this sequel! It's great to see so many people behind me. Thank you, thank you, thank you XD   
> Here's the new translated chapter with our dear Chloe. I hope you'll like it as always.   
> Happy reading!

She was running. 

Over and over again, her breath reducing further with each new stride. The branches and the foliage beat against her arms and face. 

She couldn't see anything. Neither before her nor behind her. 

She was still running, however, frightened by what was hunting her. 

The sole of her bare feet suffered from the hard contact of the ground with her quick strides, the skin scratched against the stones and the scattered branches. Her heart was strongly beating between her ribs, a sharp pain was causing twinges in her left side. 

She had to run. To hide. To run away. 

She stumbled and fell on her knees, a groan of pain coming out from her lips. She remained motionless there, lamentably lying on the ground, panted and exhausted. Her limbs shivered with fatigue and fear. An intense and numbing fear. It screamed her to move. To crawl directly against the ground to get away from this thing that was after her. 

She couldn't move anymore, exhausted. 

A cold, strong breeze lashed the foliage and bushes around her. A terrifying breeze. She tensed, her eyes widening with terror and her heart missing a beat. Still lying against the cold, uncomfortable ground, she looked very slowly over right her shoulder which was shivering uncontrollably. 

Her blood turned to ice in her veins and she felt other shivers running through her entire body. 

He was there. 

Right there. 

A powerful and frightful growl resounded around her. She felt him, more than she saw him, rushing towards her without hesitation. A howl of terror crossed her lips as she moved her hands before her face. 

 

** ***** **

 

Chloe suddenly opened her eyes, sitting up sharply on her seat. 

It took her a while to remember where she was. Distraught, she looked around her, strongly panting. The typical noises from the police station resounded to her ears well before she registered the other visible details. She watched absent-mindedly the cops going down the mean staircase or walking around the corridor near her desk. Her erratic heartbeats gradually softened with the comforting phone rings and the guttural laughs from the kitchen. 

She was at the precinct, at her desk. 

Chloe inhaled deeply and closed her eyes briefly. A chill went all over her spine, making her briefly shiver, too. She eased her breathing hitherto short and rubbed the back of her neck. 

She'd fallen asleep for a moment. It was nothing. 

Yet, that dream...no. This  _nightmare_ had upset her. She could still this intense fear inside her. That same terror that had given this strange dream its tempo. A very odd dream. Far too real, too tangible and yet so blurry. Dreams weren't known for being really detailed, but even so...This one was really singular. Chloe couldn't remember having ever had the same kind of dream up to now. 

It was so intense. So real. So...  _terrifying._  

Another chill went all over her back, the detective slightly tensing her shoulders with this unpleasant sensation. She sighed deeply with spite. 

It was just a bad dream. 

It was stupid from her to stay focus on it because of disturbing details. It was a dream a little too much realistic, that's all. 

Chloe had other fish to fry, anyway. Or rather other  _archangel_ to fry, in that case. 

She sat down more comfortably on her seat and came closer to the computer. She had to focus. The young woman browsed the various links proposed by her search on the Web. She chose the first one and began to read the information offered. 

**_"_ _The Angel Michael_ **

_The angel Michael is one of the three most famous archangels._

_He's also the Prince of the Seven Archangels forming the pillars of the Creation. Michael is one of the three angels who refused to follow the rebellious angel towards God: Lucifer. "_

Chloe couldn't help but smiling by reading this name. 

Imagine Lucifer rebelling against his siblings and his Father...

No need to imagine anything there, actually. That was just like him, since the beginning of time. Always trying to bring people near him to answer to their deepest darkest desires. For better and for worse. Bring them to live according to their own principles. Whether they wanted this or not. 

She kept reading. 

_" These three angels were called Gabriel, Raphael and Michael. Michael is_ _undoubtedly_ _the most famous_ _archangel_ _quoted in the Bible. And is also the most powerful one. He fights as the Protector of the Faith. Michael is the leader of all the good angels and represented the forces of Heaven, the celestial army._

_In Christianity, he's described as the Lord of the Angels who doesn’t hesitate to use violence against adversity. He's the Angel of_ _Remorse_ _, of Rectitude, of Mercy and_ _Sanctific_ _ation_ _. "_

Of course, there was no useful information to get her teeth into. Well, it was a foregone conclusion. Mankind knew pretty much nothing about celestial and demonic powers ruling this world. She didn't even believe in these powers two weeks ago. 

_Two weeks._

Chloe would have thought it been longer than that. Much longer. Everything was coming one after another so fast, lately. From  _that_  night until Lucifer's revelations a few days ago. 

Alastor. Michael. His wings. Hell...

It was a lot to deal with and to assemble into a coherent chart for her. The time when she tore her hair out to put a murderer in jail missed her so much. Now, she had to deal with cosmic crisis with possibly global consequences. 

Nothing stressful. 

She sighed, leaning against her desk and rubbing her painful temples with her fingertips. It seemed to her that this situation became more and more complicated by the hour. And so many questions obstructed her mind already impeded by other questions. Some answers and clarification would have been welcome. These websites with incomplete and unverifiable information were not. It just brought even more questions. Chloe had to turn to another source of information. 

A five-foot nine's source with black hair, a stunning smile and former Lord of Hell. 

A _source_ who didn't show up for a few days. 

These days seemed so long to her. An eternity to wait for news, information and talk. 

Another talk...

They had to talk about this, though. 

About that...  _kiss_. 

About what this meant. To her. To him. To them. This talk was all the more essential given the current situation. Given this threat hovering above their heads. Because what threatened Lucifer also threatened her. They were a team, whatever they have to deal with. A criminal or an archangel: it made no difference to her.

 Well...Except that an archangel would be much less sensitive to her slugs, but...Whatever... 

She wouldn't let Lucifer face Michael alone. 

Chloe didn't know if she could help somehow but _desiring_  to help was important to her. As human as she was. 

A deafening noise resounded near her, making her flinch. Again. She'd begun getting used to this for some time, she thought. The detective turned to the source of the noise, staring with puzzled eyes the bulky stack of files that had suddenly appeared on the corner of her desk. She turned her gaze then slightly higher, meeting her ex's eyes. Daniel slipped the monstrous stack of files across the desk, bringing it right in front of the young woman. 

" What the hell is  _all this_ _?_  ", she asked him as she opened the first file of the stack. 

Daniel came closer and sat on the corner of her desk, which had been previously assaulted by this mysterious collection of files. He folded his arms before lifting the veil on the mystery: 

" All your solved cases of the past year to classify and archive... before tomorrow morning. " 

"  _Tomorrow morning?_  ", she repeated, hoping she had misunderstood him. 

Daniel just nodded in response. Chloe closed the file overhanging the stack, which seemed bigger by the seconds, before strongly sighing with resignation. She felt exhausted even before starting this wearing paperwork. 

It was a part of the _"detective-thing "_. Do some paperwork after each investigation. Being buried under a mountain of files to archive in less than twenty-four hours...

She loved her job, she loved her job, she-… 

" What's this? "

Daniel's voice over her shoulder brought her back to the reality. Her ex-husband was watching the article still opened on her screen. Chloe quickly sat up on her seat and tried to close the web-page. 

" The angel...  _Michael ?_  ", he read aloud, rising his eyebrows with surprise. " Are you hiding me something? Like a sudden desire for spiritual conversion? ", he teased her as he straightened up behind her. 

Chloe finally managed to close the website and shook her head. 

" What? No! No way. I don't believe in all these nonsenses, you know it. It's just...for a case. A murder with some spiritual goal, maybe... ", she explained quite clumsily. 

Daniel pinched his lips, seemingly skeptical about her explanation but didn't rise to it. He came back to sit on the corner of the desk and browsed one of the files on the stack. Chloe watched him, waiting for another question from him. There would be another one. It was usual to him. Subtlety wasn't his thing at all. Since always. Daniel closed the file and put it back on the stack before getting started. 

" Shouldn't you be working on this with your partner? I think he's pretty fond of all of this mystic stuff, isn't he? ", he asked her, referring to Lucifer. " It's been a while since I've seen him here, by the way. You're-… "

Chloe sighed angrily as she rose from her seat. She cut the stack in two smaller parts while looking daggers at her ex. 

" We're  ** _what?_**  ", she replied more aggressively than she wanted. 

Daniel put his hands before him as a gesture of peace, unwilling to annoy the young woman. 

" You're still partners or-…? ", he asked innocently. 

Chloe briefly pinched her lips, regretting her outburst and the ridiculous deductions that Daniel would made from it. She didn't want to talk about  _this_  with him. Especially not with Daniel. It was between her and Lucifer, if this one deigned to show up one day! As for the " murderous archangel/ threatened Satan " problematic... It would be better to let him out of it. Matter of mental health! 

"  _Yes_ , Dan. He's still my partner. Lucifer has just... other concerns in mind at the moment. Besides, we don't have to see each other or collaborate twenty-four hours a day! He has a life like me outside of this precinct! ", she replied in a convincing tone. 

Daniel looked something over her shoulder and then oddly nodded. He squinted and smiled slightly as he moved away from her desk to pass in front of her, whispering to her: 

" Right! " 

The detective followed Daniel with her eyes, her gaze moving then to the mean staircase and the odd and sudden gathering in front of it. All the women of the precinct seemed to be teleported rapidly to this precise spot, giggling and grotesquely putting on airs. The center of that spot was none other than an easily identifiable man. 

Well, not a  _man_. 

A fallen angel with a seductive smile at any time. 

Chloe rolled her eyes and lifted one of the smaller stack of the files, holding it in her arms. 

The Devil was here. 

 

** ***** **

 

Chloe wedged as best as she could the heavy stack of files against her chest and moved away from her desk. She intentionally passed before the hill of groupies gathered around Lucifer, without a single glance at him. 

" Detective! ", he hailed her with his deep voice. 

Chloe smiled but kept walking to the back of the precinct, heading for the archives. He didn't really expect her to stop for his sake, did he? Four days without any news from him, torturing her mind to try to understand the all new cosmic angle surrounding her existence, to comprehend the arrival of this archangel... 

And Lucifer only showed up this afternoon, surrounded by an excitable group of women sighing ludicrously with his charming smile?! 

When she thought that they were colleagues...

In their defense, Lucifer was the Devil. It would appear difficult to resist to his charms. She had never been affected by him, however. She found him handsome and he had some qualities. And many faults, too. But she'd never felt herself  _caught_  by his tempting aura. Some very distinctive feelings of friendship had been appeared inside her over time and with the last events. 

Chloe felt light-hearted near Lucifer. 

She hadn't kissed him just like that. Not for nothing behind. Although, she still wondered where all this situation would lead them both. The young woman didn't know her partner's feelings about this. And how he wanted to deal with it in the future.  

She heard his steps behind her as she opened the door of the archives. Chloe turn the light on and walked into the room blocked with many metal, dusty shelves covered of files more or less classified. 

" Detective! Are you trying to take flight from me? ", he teased her, following her inside. 

Chloe walked between the shelves, Lucifer right behind her. 

" I'm trying to work, Lucifer. You should try it too, don't you think? Have you found a way to go back to Hell and defeat Michael? ", she asked, putting some files on a shake stack covered of cobwebs. 

Lucifer leaned his shoulder against the shelving unit not far from her, folding his arms and sighing with boredom. 

" Why should we always talk about work with you? I came in L.A. to  _stop_  working, you know! ", he complained with a sullen expression. " I'm already underfoot with my feathered angelic brother about this bloody mess! Leaving aside Maze who has itchy feet now! This little devil is so happy to return _home..._  Even for a short time! Boring, boring, boring! "

" You should think about that before cutting your wings off and send them to Hell. ", she lectures him, putting another file further on the shelf. 

" I'm the devil, Detective... I respond to desires and not to logic!  _You_  should know that. ", he whispered in her ear. 

Chloe felt a chill of pleasure running down her back and she held back a sigh of satisfaction just in time. Lucifer was now behind her, his nose ruffling the skin of her neck and her earlobe. His warm breath ruffled then the back of her shoulder, causing other chills along her spine. The young woman closed her eyes briefly and tried to calm down her aroused heartbeats. 

She turned to her partner, leaning her back against the metal surface of the shelf. Lucifer placed a hand against it, preventing Chloe from sneaking to the door. 

" What do you think you're doing, Lucifer? "

" Nothing but respond to the burning desire inside you, Chloe... ", he explained quite naturally by leaning his face to hers. " We haven't had the chance to  _deepen_  our talk last night. That's surely not what I wanted, believe me. It's about time to rectify things... ", he whispered hoarsely. 

Chloe saw his face came closer to hers, a gentle warmth caressing the inside of her belly as Lucifer's lips converged on hers. 

" All right, then... ", she whispered in turn, Lucifer answering with a mischievous smile as he closed his eyes. " How old are you? ", she directly asked. 

Lucifer stopped his move, then moving away from Chloe's lips. He stared at her confusingly. The young woman put the files still in her arms on the ground and repeated her question: 

" How old are you? "  

" Hah... I had to admit that I don't really understand. ", he exclaimed, burying his hands in his pockets, puzzled. 

" Don't you want to  _deepen_  our last talk? Well, I still have a lot of unanswered questions in mind. Questions I wanted to ask you the other night, so... ", she explained innocently. 

Lucifer sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair, frustrated by the turn of their conversation. Chloe thought it was quite funny to watch. And entertaining. It wasn't everyone who could perturbing the Lord of Hell like this! And she still had a lot of questions to ask, indeed. A _very_  very long list. 

" I begin to miss the time when you were thinking I was a hoaxer maniac... ", he mumbled to himself. 

" I still do, actually. ", she teased him, a smirk on her thin lips. " Instead of being a human maniac, you're an angel maniac, now. So? "

" A ** _former_**  angel, Detective! And what's the gain for me? ", he asked in turn, playful. 

Chloe gauged him for a moment before suggesting: 

" One answer to one question for...one of your desires? I heard the Devil was fond of deals... ", the detective implied, casting Lucifer's gaze with hers. 

She'd let him do so with pleasure for a single answer to every question she would ask. 

It wasn't as if she felt forced to answer to his desires. She wanted to answer. More violently than she'd ever admit. Turning the situation into a game was funnier, more productive. She wouldn't bother her partner all the time with her many questions and he wouldn't constantly try to drive her in awkward situations according to her.

 It was too fast. 

Chloe still didn't know where it would lead them. She wanted to talk to him about this. Which was really a complicated thing to do with the Devil as a potential boyfriend. 

_Boyfriend._

Was she considering it that way? 

Yes. Well...  _maybe_. 

Why not? 

Was it even possible knowing his  _nonstandard_  status? And what about him? What did he expect from this new corner in their relationship? 

That was other questions she might ask him right now if she had the guts to do so. And if he had the guts to sincerely answer. He would answer without lies. Chloe was at least sure of this. 

Lucifer never lied. 

Never. 

He seemed to consider her offer very seriously before finally nodding. 

Deal! 

He came closer to her, their faces close again. 

" Mmh... It's hard to exactly number my age. There was no real calendar in the Silver City, as you can guess.  **H** e should have thought about that tiny detail, by the way! _Unqualified Divinity!_  I'm maybe five-...no, ten billion years old? Something like that...The Bible has a nasty tendency to decrease the time factor, I never understood why! ", he thought out loud. 

" Just  _ten billion_ , huh? You still look good for a grandpa! ", she teased him, trying not to laugh. 

" As I told you, it's quite subjective, Detective. If you prefer a more concrete age, on a human level, you just divide this number by five hundred million years. And I am  _not_  a bloody grandpa! These old remains cannot equal my incredible...vitality! ", he exclaimed outrageously. 

" So... You're only  _twenty?!_ ", she exclaimed, surprised after quickly calculate this in her mind. 

" More or less. Time doesn't go at the same pace for us, immortal beings. And as I say, it's a really  _subjective_  notion. ", he said casually. 

" Awkward age... That explains a lot of things! ", she whispered. 

Yes, that clarified a lot. Lucifer's fit of anger. His rebellion against any authority. The desire of autonomy...

It was disturbing to see Lucifer as a young man kicked out of the house than as a more or less – usually  _less_ \- responsible adult owner of a posh nightclub. She had kiss a man much younger than her... From a certain point of view. A very disturbing one. 

So disturbing. 

Why did she ask this question, already? 

Lucifer grimaced with her remark, annoyed, but quickly showed another mischievous smile. A forewarning of troubles for the detective. He gently moved his face closer to hers, their bodies almost touching. 

" It's the age of  _carnal_ explorations, above all. Among other things... I don't want to seem vain but I have a far deeper knowledge of pleasure than a twenty-years-old banal kid, darling! That's the only and the best quality granted to the Devil. ", he boasted. 

" Mmmh.... A legend among so many others. I'd like to see this. ", she teased him, her gray eyes staring at her partner's darker one. 

Lucifer came closer, their lips a few millimeters apart. His burning breath gently ruffled the skin of her face, Chloe quivering slightly with this really pleasant sensation. Lucifer's proximity didn't bother her. 

On the contrary. 

It was reassuring. Comforting. Chloe felt good that way. And she didn't want to move from that room and from that delightful embrace. 

Before Lucifer deigned to take care of her lips, she heard him whisper: 

" Wanna bet? "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TBC with.... " That would be a first. "   
> _____________________________________  
> Thanks for reading me. As always, let me know if you like the sequel so far and what you think about the future events ^^   
> Next publication will be the last chapter of "Le Diable n'a jamais peur "   
> Bye bye !


	4. That would be a first

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone !   
> First, a big thank you for your comments/kudos/bookmarks so far! I can't thank you enough for your support.   
> Well, I can actually. With a new translated chapter! ^^   
> I hope you'll like it as the others.   
> Happy reading everyone!

_Blasphemy._

_Heresy._

He couldn't tolerate such a vision. Such perversion. 

It was unbearable. 

These gaudy and aggressive lights. This continual noise. This ferment all around him...

All this chaos significantly increased his resolution to do something and also his aversion for this place. A place totally devoted to decline, to the immorality inside their flesh. 

He'd let him do whatever he wanted far too long. He couldn't wait anymore. His clemency towards him, towards them ended right now.

An insignificant being, stumbling and loud, shoved him in the middle of all this unbearable hysterical frenzy. The man turned to him, eyes misted by some degrading terrestrial drinks or drugs. One single look between them got the better of this human's meager notions of bravado, who hurriedly went away to mingle with the timing masses of other creatures without further ado. 

So weak. So easily influenced. 

It saddened him to see  **H** is most beautiful creation thus tarnished. Thus belittled. They had lost their pride and their devotion to  **H** im. It saddened him and outraged him. For far too long. He had to rectify this. He had to fulfill his duty. Purifying this growing corruption. Corruption with global consequences. 

He finally saw him, fighting his way through this over-active crowd. Sharing and creating their depravity, biding them to corrupt their soul, their purity. Relishing their suffering and their sins. Sins resulting from his own harmful, despicable existence. An insult to the Light that had been offered to him, to the privileges that had been long ago granted to him. 

He wasn't worthy of it. He had never been worthy of it. 

He alone had always seen the darkness of his soul. The threat he was for all things. He alone could put an end to this ancient and odious decline. 

He watched him approach the bar and enjoy the vile drinks given to the other libertine humans. He had always had an inclination to lust. To defiled pleasures. 

So be it. 

All this was finally coming to an end. 

** ***** **

Lucifer raised his glass to his lips but stopped his gesture. 

An uncomfortable and very distinctive shiver lashed the back of his neck, his whole body suddenly stopping to move at this sensation. All his muscles tensed with this gnawing threat, on the alert without knowing who or what was a threat. This sensation prompted an instinctive reaction inside him, unintendedly. Lucifer felt the Hellish Flames glow fiercely in his dark irises, unwittingly responding to this feeling of pending danger. Like a prey feeling with all its being its near death between the sharp teeth of a merciless predator. 

Something he wasn't used to feel. 

Indeed, the devil hardly had ever been a helpless prey. 

He struggled fiercely against the desire to release his true form; a primary demon tendency to danger or a direct and strong defiance. Tendency all the more deep-rooted when you were the Lord of Hell: a position going hand in hand with a brutal tendency to destroy anyone who dared to challenge his authority and power. 

Showing his true face to the humans around him was clearly not a good idea. It wasn't a good thing for his business. 

This single rational thought helped him to calm down his demonic instincts, gently wiping away the flames in his eyes. The first sensation remained anyway, prompting inside Lucifer fear and rage profoundly nested together. These emotions still affected his body frozen and yet ready to leap on the unknown threat. He gently put his glass back on the counter and slowly turned his head, all his muscles still tightly tensed. This shiver had been prompted by something. 

Something or someone. Behind him. 

This  _someone_ who had so easily prompted a troubling warning signal inside him. 

Lucifer scanned the crowd dancing around him, going from one to another, watching for a hint, a lead on this threat previously felt. 

Nothing. 

Now. 

But there had been a real threat. A moment ago. Just for a moment. A threat so strong to make him react like this. With his primal instincts. 

Who bloody was it? Or what? 

He couldn't have imagined this. Lucifer could almost feel his demonic essence radiate from his body, which was still unintendedly on its guard. He couldn't control and even less feign a corporal reaction of that sort. 

There was something. 

Someone so disturbing and so dangerous to make the Devil himself being on edge. Lucifer kept watching for any suspicious sign around him, any unusual noise. Watching for this suffocating  _aura_ that was no longer there. 

_" Lucifer... You're becoming paranoid, now! "_

There was nothing. 

And he was more and more skeptical about his last sensation. He was in his club, surrounded by dozens of more or less drunk humans incredibly breezy. No troubling supernatural threat here. Not towards him. Never. And certainly not with Mazikeen around. 

His miraculous  _Lazarene_  resurrection may have had more consequences on his health than he thought. Everything seemed significantly different since then. In a pleasant and also unpleasant way. 

Lucifer closed his eyes: stupid gesture to get rid of these muggy and far too serious thoughts. First, he imagined an unknow and ludicrous threat to then torture his mind with pretty dark reflections! Okay, he usually liked the darkness and all that...but not as much as that! He hadn't come here to dwell on this bloody stuff-up. 

_That_ was his feathered brother's main attribute...

No, he'd come here for a drink and to mingle with this delightful nocturnal ferment. A corporal ferment that had always calmed down his mind. He hated the calm, the lack of noises around him. Hell was so quiet, unlike the absurd stories and myths that had been told for millennia. And he'd always hated that. 

Lucifer sighed and drank one in one go his glass, then waving his hand to the bartender who immediately gave him another drink. He took it and drank it one in one go again. A faint heat awoke inside his throat and against his palate: nothing unpleasant. A delightful sensation provided by this nectar. However, even this drink couldn't get him rid of these endless waves of dark thoughts drowning his mind. 

Either alcohol or music, or even the noisy crowd around him. 

He just had to find something else to avoid all kind of preoccupations. Easy as pie... or as drink, it depends. 

Find something that wasn't a  _thing._  But rather someone. Someone like no other. Someone become important to him. Lucifer was the first to be surprised about that, actually.

 Becoming attached to a human... He, the Devil. 

It seemed impossible when you put it like that. 

And yet, Lucifer felt oddly tempted by his dear enigmatic detective; Chloe. 

An unfathomable and delightful enigma. 

He still didn't bloody understand this. That was just... how it was. 

Lucifer felt good by her side, when he could feel her gray eyes probing him without any fear, with this gleam of annoyance that frequently shining her eyes. Her smile hardly contained with each of his words or salacious hint, just to tease her, to see her smile. This smile in particular. Her single way of reacting to each of his actions...

Lucifer had never experienced anything similar. 

It was unique. 

It was scary and terribly exciting. 

He didn't feel fundamentally  _evil_ with Chloe. Not through her eyes. He was just...  _him._  It appeased him. And it disturbed him a lot. Lucifer kept asking questions about their relationship. He couldn't exactly define what they were experiencing together, now. 

Was there a specific denomination for that? 

Should they really define it now? 

This significant step forwards was surprising given that the detective knew his true nature now. He hadn't expected that. For once, the devil was truly surprised by the events. 

He didn't understand. 

She should have run away. No longer coming closer to him. Hiding from him. From who he was, what he embodied. 

But no. 

She had decided to catch him on the hop and to  _accept_ him? What had she decided exactly? He didn't bloody know! Should he? Was it better to know it or...? 

Lucifer never had thought to prefer to think about the  _problematical Michael_  instead of Chloe and her insane reactions! 

He sighed and leaned against the bar, rubbing with the back of his hand his forehead while staring absent-mindedly at the orange reflections at the bottom of the glass. He stopped rubbing his forehead after a few seconds, lowering his hand before his eyes. Staring in turn at his newly tinted ring. 

_" Bloody Hell... "_

It seemed he couldn't avoid this. He wouldn't have a single second without reflections as unpleasant as the Ten Commandments record. 

One of the worst moments in his entire life, by the way. 

Seeing this decrepit man trying to write ludicrous divine laws on a friable rock had been funny at first. A fun turned into frustration and a strong desire of destruction as the hours and days passed with each new broken rock. 

Anyway. It was a different story. 

Lucifer stroked the stone scattered with thin white grooves with his finger. Another thing he didn't understand. He seemed as cleaver as a fish right now, given all the things he wasn't able to understand. 

What could these white grooves bloody mean? 

It was like his original Light had gone through his demonic essence and had slightly taken the upper hand on it, disturbing thus the fragile balance established between these two essences for millennia. 

Since his Fall. 

His Light hadn't just _slightly_ gone through him that night. That was an understatement! It had submerged everything. He had even lost himself in it, coming close to death. Of course, he hadn't release it without any reason. He had had to  _take care_  of Alastor. Destroy him for good. But only a slight part of his divine power should have been enough for this. 

He was once the _Light_ _Bringer._ Not a usual name, without any meaning. 

Yet, that night, Lucifer had felt his Light radiating with an almost equal power than before. This parallel was in no case excessive. He usually liked this kind of overstatement in general, but here... it was only facts. 

Facts. 

No more no less. 

What could have caused this explosion of power? And disrupt its balance? 

Lucifer frowned, worried. He tried to remember what he had felt that time, remembering the words or actions that could explain everything. Or justify them, at least. 

Alastar had threatened him and tried to kill him. Not enough for this, though. 

Then what?  What on earth d-…? 

Lucifer frowned more, his mind stuck with a vision that he remembered. A memory that could explain this mess. A memory that frightened him. 

_Chloe._

The detective being hurt, unconscious. Alastor threatening  _her_. 

Lucifer couldn't lie. Truth was ruling his existence. So, he couldn't lie to  ** _himself_** either. 

Chloe was responsible for this. 

All these emotions, these sensations she prompted inside him were the reason of this excessive release of divine power. A pure and titanic Energy released just by seeing her in danger. 

Why? Why now? 

How far could it go?  

Lucifer was there with his reflections when he saw at the top of the spiral staircase his lovely demonic bodyguard. A Mazikeen in all her predatory splendor who was intensely scanning the room. And Lucifer knew exactly what or rather who she was looking for. 

Him. 

Looking for trouble, then. 

For both. 

Trouble that the Devil didn't feel in the mood to experience. His thoughts wouldn't leave him alone. If he had to deal with Mazikeen and her boring plans to go back to Hell on top of that... 

Hell, no. 

Lucifer met the demon's gaze and smiled at her. He made his way quickly through the crowd to his private elevator while Mazikeen filled the distance between them at an impressive speed for the mortals around. A usual speed for a demon, though. 

Not fast enough, sadly. 

Lucifer went into the elevator without even speed up and put the button closing the doors as Mazikeen arrived in front of it, the doors closing gently on her surprised and frowning expression. 

** ***** **

 

The doors finally opened to his penthouse and Lucifer walked quietly to the bar, smiling as he thought about Mazikeen's face. He took off his jacket and threw it on a chair before grabbing a bottle and a glass. He walked just as quietly to the couch and sat on it, pouring some alcohol in the glass on the table. 

He heard the elevator doors open as he put the bottle on the table, too. Doors releasing a stunned demon beating the marble floor with her stiletto heels. 

"  _Seriously?!_ ", she exclaimed, standing in front of him and blocking the space between his glass and himself. 

Lucifer sighed and gave her a sincerely surprised look. 

" I'm impressed, Maze! Really! I thought the complicated buttons in the elevator would get the better of your mind... You're a real  _clever devil_ , aren't you? ", he exclaimed in turn. 

Lucifer pretended to take an imaginary voice recorder and bring it to his lips, whispering very seriously while the young woman was giving another dumbstruck and quite furious look: 

" Note for myself: creating less clever demons in the future... or not demons at all. Or no more creations, in order to have some peace and quiet! "

Mazikeen tightly pinched her lips and let out an angry whistling as she placed her hands on her hips, a sign of increasing irritation. An irritation involving the very literal option: break the devil's balls. He tried to take his drink on the table but she quickly moved again, forcing him to look at her again and, unfortunately, to listen to her. 

" You're really gonna play it like this, Lucifer?! ", she asked him, peeved. " Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised with this new change in you, should I? The Lord of Hell...  ** _A coward!_**  "

Lucifer, hitherto busy to try to skirt the vicious little demon and get back his drink, suddenly froze. His muscles of his jaw tensed tightly as a strong rage overcame his body and mind. The flames glowed again inside his eyes, but he didn't do anything to contain them this time. On the contrary. 

He jumped up, glaring at Mazikeen coldly and proclaiming with an hoarse and powerful voice that make the walls quake around them both: 

**_" Don't you dare talking to me like this,_ ** **_Mazikeen_ ** **_! I am the Devil! You're well placed to know it! "_ **

" Then  _act_  like the devil you're supposed to be! ", she replied, unimpressed by his anger. " Confront your enemies like you've always done! Destroy anyone who dares to flout your power! "

Lucifer felt the flames dying as a mocking smile – though slightly tensed with his previous rage – appeared on his lips. 

" Ow? So, you won't mind if I destroy you, then? 'Good to know! ", he lost his temper as he quickly made his way to the bar. 

He might have the opportunity to drink something this time. 

" Don't pretend to not understand what I mean, Lucifer! Every day you spend avoiding the situation is a head start gracefully given to Michael! ", she continued by following him closely, her heels against hitting the ground and irritating more Lucifer. 

He pretended to not hearing her and poured himself another drink, intentionally turning his back to her. He was tired of all these damn nuisances. being a moralizing angel underfoot and now his own right-hand demon?! 

It became bloody unlivable! 

Mazikeen didn't took his drink and that was a good thing. Especially for her. 

His desire to kill her was pretty high right now, it wouldn't take long to turn his desire into reality. She knew that. And yet seemed unwilling to leave him alone. Maybe she was carried away by some suicidal drive, like his brother... 

It was possible. 

" Look, if you don't want to go back because of Chloe-… ", she began in a much softer tone. 

"  _Careful,_  Mazikeen. ", he muttered calmly too. " You're on  ** _very_**  thin ice here and maybe you shouldn't go further tonight: Devil's advice to an insignificant demon. " 

He was still turning his back to her, leaning against the bar and sipping his drink. A silence settled between them. A silence that made Lucifer hope that the subject was closed for tonight. Pointless hope. Mazikeen was just looking for appropriate words. 

" Time goes much slower down there-… ", she tried again. 

A clumsy attempt. Lucifer straightened up and gave her a glare, a looked that silenced the demon. 

" I'm perfectly well _aware_  about how things work down there, Maze. ", he said coldly. " I've been in Hell long before you have. I even added my personal touch here and there, so... you don't need to repeat what I already know. " 

Mazikeen hardly swallowed, suddenly fearful. She was finally aware of the line she was about to cross. She was dangerously closed of it. The young woman looked away, silent. Lucifer moved away from the counter, almost touching her, and went to the terrace. He put his hands inside his pockets and breathed in some fresh air. It would be better if he calmed down. Lucifer wanted to enjoy his evening, not moping around more about the dire future threatening them all. 

He heard the noise from her heels heading towards him again, more slowly this time. Lucifer didn't care about it. He lighted a cigarette and took a deep puff of it, slowly exhaling the smoke through his nose while at the nocturnal landscape before him. 

" Michael doesn't pay you a courtesy call, Lucifer. We have to go back down there... It's not a matter of choice anymore. " 

Lucifer inhaled another puff of smoke while holding back a disdainful exclamation. He answered her without turning to her, still looking at the sleeping town: 

" I just told you to stop repeating the obvious, Mazie. " 

He bloody knew all that. 

Could we stop, for once, to take him for a damn fool?!

He liked joking, taunting others, yes. But it had nothing to do with a low intellect. Far from it. Lucifer was perfectly well aware about the situation. Probably much more aware than Mazikeen and his brother. 

A concept they all needed to accept right now:  _Devil_  didn't go with  _douche_! Faked frivolity, maybe. And that was all. 

" Use your coin to bring us back in Hell and get your wings back! ", she insisted. 

He didn't reply. Was it such complicated to leave him alone? Really?! He didn't ask for the moon, though. He never would. He helped  **H** im to create the skies, so... He didn't bloody care now. Manner of speaking. he only wanted to spend a night without childish and rather annoying reproach's.  

He threw his butt over the barrier and leaned against it, unwilling to grant the request of the young woman. She came closer to him and also leaned against the barrier next to her master, staring at him intently. He kept pretending to not seeing her by his side, absorbed by the landscape below. The view was always beautiful here. Whatever the time, the month or the year. This view was always pleasant. 

" Lucifer... ", the demon whispered. 

Here we go again with the bloody  _Michael_. 

" You still have your coin,  ** _right?_**  ", she almost begged him. 

Lucifer didn't say anything. He stroked absent-mindedly the cold, glazed barrier with his palms before turning to Mazikeen, who was almost desperately looking for a positive answer to her last question. 

" And how do you think I was able to send my bloody light-up wings to Hell, huh?! With the Holy-Spirit's help perhaps?! ", he replied, annoyed. " There is no Holy-Spirit, I can assure you! Just a  **H** oly-  **A** sshole... ", he muttered bitterly as he glared at the starry sky above him. 

He saw from the corner of his eye the demon opening her mouth to deliver some other nonsense. He pulled the rug out from under her, more and more tired by this little game: 

" I will  _not_  risk to die again, Maze! It didn't go well the last time I tried it, don't you remember? I should have to report this malfunction to Azrael, by the way... It's not like her. " 

Lucifer left Mazikeen there and headed back inside, to the counter and his favorite drink. 

What would he do without alcohol, right? He didn't even want to think about it... 

Mazikeen was going to talk about the last option. The one she thought she'd hide it so well from him. An amused smile came on his face as he filled a new glass. 

" We could-… ", she said from the balcony. 

" Another dead-end, I'm afraid, darling! It's not a real feather you have. Just a banal copy completely made up by me to  _appease_  your melancholy. ", he confessed heartily. 

He took his drink and turned to the balcony, meeting the young woman's irritated look. She seemed sincerely surprised by his trick. He took a long sip before exclaiming: 

" Oh, come on, Maze! You forget who I am? I'm your Master. I know you as if I created you! Wait... I did, actually! Right? " 

He took advantage of her surprise to sit comfortably on the couch, sipping quietly the contents of his glass. 

A respite. Finally! 

… Or not. 

" Is ** _that_** why you don't want to leave? ", she whispered more seriously. 

Lucifer rolled his eyes, exasperated. He drank the rest of his glass before taking a look at the demon who was looking at him from the bar. She crossed her arms on her chest and didn't look away this time. 

" You'll have to improve your vocabulary... I don't know what you're talking about. ", he sighed as he put his empty glass on the table. 

It wasn't the truth. Not really. 

Once again, he knew how to go back down there. And he didn't want to use the very  _sensitive_  option. For him and for-… 

" You know what I mean! ", she said, coming near him. " Don't act more stupid than you actually are, Lucifer! There's only one option left to go back there! "

" This option is out of the question, Mazikeen. ", Lucifer said categorically, his jaw tensed with anger and other unpleasant emotions. " Out of the question...  _once and for good_ , you hear me? "

He couldn't. Not this...

Mazikeen stood before him, then kneeling at his height, trying to catch his look. Lucifer finally agreed to look at her. Quite submissively. It was the only option left. And the worst, according to him. Mazikeen was right: it was clearly no longer a matter of choice. 

**_" We all have a choice, Lucifer "_ **

Strange... he never seemed to have it! 

" She'll do it, Lucifer... She'll do this for you! ", she whispered, absolutely convinced. 

Lucifer smiled sadly. 

" That's precisely what I'm worried about, Mazie... "

He was worried, indeed. 

Hell wasn't really recommended for living beings. Especially for a stubborn detective. 

A mortal being going for a ride in Hell with the Devil. 

That would be a first. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TBC with... " Azrael's blade "   
> ________________________________  
> Let a little comment as always if you enjoy the story so far.   
> See you soon!


	5. Azrael's blade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi :)  
> Thanks again for the comments and feedbacks on this story : it's really important for me to read your feelings and advices.   
> The next chapter will be a flash-back about the original Sin. ^^   
> This one is all about Amenadiel. 
> 
> Happy reading !

He liked staying here. 

As long as he wanted. As long as he needed. 

It was a kind of recollection place. A peaceful lifted place where his thoughts and doubts finally stopped swirling into an insane mess in his mind. A silent place listening to his prayers. He didn't know if they would reach their destination or if he'd have any answer someday.

It didn't matter. 

He just wanted to have the possibility to express his prayers quietly. 

Just for himself.  

And not for  **H** im. 

Why would he have an answer from  **H** im? He, from all his other brothers and sisters? 

Amenadiel closed his eyes briefly, inhaling deeply as he enjoyed the touch of the breeze against his face. He'd have liked it get into his mind and sweep all his questions along with one single movement, as easily as it was ruffling his skin right now. 

He liked the wind. 

This discreet and yet strong breath carrying sounds, smells...

The wind reminded him the Silver City. 

Amenadiel opened his eyes and looked up at the bright blue sky. He admired its single beauty prevailing over him before lowering his head, a brief sigh crossing the barrier of his lips. Yes, the Silver City missed him a little more each day. A little more every minute spent in the middle of the Human's world. But he couldn't go back there. 

Not now. 

Not before having fulfilled his duty to his  **F** ather.  

A duty of which he didn't see the end. Only a path scattered with insurmountable pitfalls. The biggest worry remaining Lucifer. The heart of the problem  _being_  Lucifer. 

As always. 

The word  _problem_  linked too easily with his brother's name. Really too much according to him. Amenadiel sighed again and made a few steps to the edge of the roof. He looked at the humans as tiny as pinheads at his feet. A vision that also reminded him of Heaven. He was probably starting to feel homesick. It was predictable. Any other mission from his  **F** ather led him to stay away from home for so long. And time was a pretty malleable notion for him. However, it was still too long for Amenadiel. And it wouldn't get better. 

He was more and more skeptical about succeeding. Was it only possible? Maybe it was. Who could know it? Probably his **F** ather, but certainly not him. Amenadiel wondered if he'd missed the single opportunity to bring Lucifer back to his rightful place. Had he been too busy elsewhere to notice this opportunity or-… ? 

Or was there no real opportunity to properly fulfill this mission. 

He couldn't tell. 

He thought he knew where he was going with this, what he had to do, how he had to proceed, but now... After the last events... Amenadiel was even less comfortable with the situation. There were too many variables, too many people involved. Too many humans involved in this. Without considering the detective now aware of their celestial conditions. Something she'd never should know. Something that should never happened. What should he do now? Wait for new orders? Continue to pray to his  **F** ather and hoping an answer? 

No.  **H** e didn't act that way for a long time. Since the Rebellion. Only Gabrielle was chosen to hear The Most High's direct words. Michael, too. Sometimes. 

_Michael._

Another problem. 

Was he really a problem? 

Amenadiel was skeptical about this story, too. About the truth in Lucifer's story. About everything, actually. He didn't like this. These unchanging uncertainties, this lack of trust in everything around him. He didn't look like him. He'd never lowered himself to this kind of weakness with strictly human features. He didn't want to do this now. 

Amenadiel felt yet torn. Whether he liked it or not. He couldn't escape from this. That was why he was alone on this secluded roof. To get his questions in order, to maybe find some answers to them. A path to follow. A virtuous way. As he had always done until now. 

Should he follow Lucifer? 

He who affirmed that their brother, the Archangel of Rightness, was plotting against their  **F** ather? Plotting against Lucifer? Was it even possible from Michael? 

No. Maybe...

Why would he do this? For what purposes? Destroying Lucifer? 

Then what? 

Amenadiel had thought about it, of course. It wouldn't lead to anything. Annihilating the Prince of Darkness would only bring more chaos to the Underworld. More problems, much more difficult to solve. And although he was fiercely angry with Lucifer, Amenadiel couldn't do such a thing. 

Lucifer was his brother. He had been... a long time ago. 

A very long time. 

Lucifer was nothing like Samael. He had become someone else. An abject and deceitful creature. A liar. Amenadiel knew that the devil attached importance to the truth in all circumstances. Yet, some dramatic events, a long time ago again, had unfortunately proved that the truth was hardly automatic. Events with horrible consequences for everyone: Lucifer, humans, angels... 

Lucifer could  _lie._

Even he boasted otherwise. It was a possibility. Amenadiel had to consider it. What if he lied about the whole story here? About his mission? Why would  **H** e leave this mission to Lucifer instead of him? 

Where was the truth? Where did the lie end? 

If this whole story turned out to be true, what about Michael? Should he confront him directly? Should he reason with him? Stop him by any means? 

Amenadiel had no more answers on this roof. His fears and doubts were still there. At least, the soft breeze somewhat appeased the steady tension in his mind and body. It would take much more than a secluded roof to stop his questions and show him the right path. 

A sign, perhaps. Or simply bravery.

The bravery to do the  _right_  thing. 

" You seemed harassed, brother. ", noticed a familiar voice behind him. 

Amenadiel sighed with frustration. 

What on earth was Lucifer doing here? Did he come here to taunt him again? Well, it was one time too many. He quickly turned to his brother, annoyed and froze, stunned. 

Michael was standing right in front of him, a friendly smile on his face, waiting an answer from him. 

** ***** **

 

Amenadiel stared at his brother, quite stunned to see him here on Earth, facing him. And seemingly without belligerent intents. Did that prove anything? Did that prove Lucifer's possible lies? Or, at the very least, his overstatement concerning the events? 

Still other questions with answers to find. 

Michael was quite unrecognizable without the divine outfit he knew and the attitude that went with it. He looked a little less  _impressive_  as well. The human old clothes greatly simplified the celestial rendering. They eased it, at least.  And Michael couldn't avoid this effect either. Amenadiel had a hard time not seeing Lucifer, or rather every difference between them both with each gesture made by his brother. The mind wasn't the same but... They were twins.

It would never change. 

Michael wasn't wearing his usual shining armor forged with the thunder of skies at the Beginning of Time. Not seeing him armed with his sword clearly reduced the powerful aura that followed him everywhere. Although Michael rarely visited, never in fact, the human's world.  Which was one of the reasons why Amenadiel was so surprised to see him here, as simply dressed as himself.  A banal denim shirt with pants of the same fabric completely change the Absolute Archangel in Heaven. 

Michael didn't move. He just looked friendly at Amenadiel, still waiting for an answer to his previous question. Amenadiel still felt torn as well between suspicion and relief. Suspicion resulting from Lucifer's words and relief from having the opportunity to talk peacefully with Michael. Something that didn't happen often. He had a rather disputed reputation in human writings, which always emphasized his cruelty. An always justified one, it seemed. 

But could we really justify cruelty? Whatever the situation? 

Amenadiel didn't know Michael well. They were certainly brothers, but both held very distinct position and duty in the celestial hierarchy, Michael holding a much higher position than his.  They'd never talked long enough to like or hate each other. 

The only first time when Amenadiel had any direct interaction with him, except this one, was during the Rebellion. Dark times that he tried to forget. 

He moved away from the edge and came closer to his brother. Amenadiel stopped a few inches away from him, putting his hands in his pockets. He preferred to keep alert. For now, at least.  

" Michael ", he greeted him simply with his deep voice. " I'm surprised to see you here, dear brother. ", he noticed, a crooked smile on his face. 

Michael shrugged before passing Amenadiel and stopping on the edge of the roof, watching in turn the teeming Humanity's movements downstairs. Amenadiel turned to him without coming closer. The wind was stronger than before and fiercely blew against his open jacket which strongly was flapping along his sides.  For a moment, there was only the sound of the wind between the two celestial beings. 

" It's true that coming closer to  **F** ather's creatures is not useful for me. ", finally said the archangel, the wind messing up his blond hair. " I prefer to influence them in a  _subtler_ way: give a little help here, whispering some advices there... ", he explained, stopping to stare at the humans below. 

Amenadiel nodded, attentive to the slightest gesture made by his brother, to the slightest intonation of his voice. He still wasn't sure how to behave with him. Michael noticed his confusion and smiled at him again. 

"  _Relax_ , Amenadiel! I'm not here for you. I only came here to fulfill a mission that  **F** ather gave me.", he reassured him while leaning against the smokestack of the building. 

" A mission? Here on Earth? ", exclaimed his brother, puzzled. 

That was unusual. Michael never came in person. 

Never. 

What did he want to do in Los Angeles? What was this mission, sensitive enough to dispatch Michael here? 

The archangel seemed suddenly dismayed, his shoulders becoming stooped under this invisible but tangible weight of this divine mission. An attitude that intrigued more Amenadiel. 

Michael...  _dismayed_? Another strange factor, which needed to be clarify. He moved closer to his brother who was still leaning against the smokestack, his eyes as blue as the skies looking at the landscape around them. 

" What mission, Michael? ", he asked him, really intrigued by the answer he would give him. 

Intrigued and scared. Because Amenadiel truly feared to know what all this was about. The truth about Michael's coming. 

A terrible truth.

 His brother straightened up, his jaw tensed by emotion, and looked his brother in the eye. 

"  _Kill Lucifer._  ", he breathed, another gust increasing the seriousness in Michael's words. 

** ***** **

 

Amenadiel stared at Michael for a while, stunned by the words pronounced earlier. 

That couldn't be true. 

It couldn't. He couldn't thing that way. Being agree to kill Lucifer? 

No. 

The consequences would be disastrous. Unthinkable. Apocalyptic. There were no words strong enough to describe the chaos that would result from this obnoxious act. 

A murder...Kill one of their brothers. 

Lucifer. 

Destroy the  _Devil_. 

Amenadiel hardly gulped, still shocked by this fatal news, and tried to put himself together. 

It had to be a mistake. It had to be. 

"  _Kill_ _Lucifer ?!_ Are you lost your mind, Michael? Why? Why  **F** ather would want his destruction? Why now? ", almost shouted the black angel, disturbed. 

" I didn't choose this, Am'… ", he whispered, truly worry about this. 

This kind of answer wasn't enough. He needed more than this to support or even accept this kind of extreme solution. Amenadiel unconsciously clenched his fists, raging mad about this news that was spreading chaos in his mind and faith. 

" Why would  **H** e decide to destroy him when  **H** e sent me personally to bring him back to Hell? ", he lost his temper again. " This is insane! Totally insane! "

Michael, hitherto strangely quiet, advanced quickly towards him, their face barely separated by a few inches filled with air. He glared at him, his gaze as cold as steel right now, a disturbing gleam of rage in the eye. Amenadiel stopped talking, on his guards, and felt his muscles instinctively tense with Michael's tacit threat. 

A relentless threat. 

His brother didn't blink, his cold eyes glaring at him, being in the grip of a strong rage. 

" Don't you dare questioning  **F** ather's words, Amenadiel. ", he said with a tone as cold as the Artic. " Not in front of me. Not if you care about your wings... ", he threatened him. 

Amenadiel didn't answer, his throat suddenly blocked by anxiety. He didn't move an inch or say a single word, fearing to anger the archangel more. The latter finally moved away, releasing the black angel from his powerful glance. Amenadiel sighed with relief, as if his body was finally released from a heavy and painful jail. He watched Michael take a few steps on the roof, turning his back to him. He seemed struggling with many emotions again. He turned quickly to him, Amenadiel starting slightly with his move. 

He kept alert. 

" Do you think I'm happy about this, brother? ", complained Michael, his face showing true suffering. " You think is that simple for me? Lucifer is still my brother! "

Amenadiel hardly gulped, hesitating to question his brother again about the darker parts of his mission. He needed to understand, though. He had the right to understand. Taking a deep breath, he questioned him one more time, but more calmly than before: 

" What's changed, Michael? Why now? "

"  **F** ather wanted to wait. **H** e wanted to give you the opportunity to reason with him, to convince him to go back. I'm not even surprised by the result... Don't blame yourself for it, Am". Lucifer is not really known for his  _obedience_ , is he? We all learned it by the hardest way, me before everyone else... ", he said in a barely audible voice. " he's corrupted Humanity by walking among them, by whispering them abominations! They're riding for a fall far more horrible than his if we let him do what he wants!  **F** ather can no longer tolerate this... "

He slowly walked back to the edge of the roof, the black angel staring at him all along. Michael gave a sad look to the humans below. 

" I tried to stop him through another demon's actions. Disgusting ways but-...I didn't have many options, here. ", he explained. 

" If  **F** ather intends to destroy Lucifer... why would  **H** e bring him back to life? ", Amenadiel interrupted him, puzzled. 

It didn't make any sense. 

He wanted it remained that way but Michael had a plausible explanation for each fact so far. Explanations sowing seeds of doubts in his mind all the more. 

Michael didn't take offense at the interruption. He just smiled sadly at him. He rubbed his palms together, pensive. 

" Lucifer told you that  **F** ather asked him to stop me, am I right? ", he easily guessed. 

" Well, I-I... ", stammered the black angel, caught off guard with his brother's deduction. 

The archangel moved away from the edge and put his both hands on Amenadiel's shoulders, giving him a comforting smile. Smile that he hardly gave in turn. 

" Am'… he lied to you. Lucifer  _lied._   **F** ather would never bring him back. Never. It's a trick, as always... "

" But-…", tried to object Amenadiel. 

" Come on, brother! Who will you trust? The Devil or the Leader of the Archangels? ", he asked him once more, holding his grip on his shoulders. 

Amenadiel didn't know what to think. Who to trust either. 

Why would Michael lie? 

Lucifer had proved so many times his deceitful and manipulative mind, unlike his twin. He boasted of being the incarnate truth on Earth, beautiful and cutting truth. 

Was it all fake? Really? 

This whole story was just lies? And what about the wings? Was this a lie, too? Lucifer could have feigned his own death for... for what exactly? The pleasure of deceiving him? Of giving a show? Of making fun of him and their **F** ather again? 

Amenadiel clenched his fist again with the intense anger invading his senses. He had enough. Enough of deception. Enough of Lucifer's little games. 

Enough. 

He looked Michael in the eye. 

" Tell me how I can help you, brother. ", Amenadiel said with a raging voice. 

Michael gave him a grateful smile. Amenadiel was grateful to him, too. To have opened his eyes. To have taken him away from damnation, from the same decline than Lucifer. They had to stop him. 

Once and for all. 

Michael finally removed his hands from the black angel's shoulders, but didn't move away from him, his face much more serious than before. 

" I want you to find  _her_  and that you bring me back her blade. ", he said in a tone that didn't suffer from any reply. 

Amenadiel didn't need more information. 

He knew exactly who he was talking about. He was the only one who could approach her. He would find her and take the coveted artefact from her. 

For his Father. For the salvation of Humanity. 

He would find it. 

Azrael's blade. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TBC with " A choice "   
> __________________________  
> So, what do you think about our dear Michael ?  
>  Let a comment as always, it makes my day !   
> Bye !


	6. A choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Samael is still questionning about his Father's decisions. Should he do something about it ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening :)
> 
> Thanks for the many views and comments on the story. This sixth chapter is a flashback about Samael's life and the very first Sin. Not a really long chapter, but don't worry: the next one is much longer. Like the others ^^  
> Don't be shy as alwyas and let me know what you think about the story so far and your expectations for the next chapter. 
> 
> Happy reading !

Samael took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. He slowly exhaled the air from his lungs, enjoying the touch of dampness and flowery scents gathered in this tiny fragment of oxygen.  

The air was different here.  

Lighter.  

He inhaled again, tasting once again the many fragrances proper to the Garden of Eden. A strong flowery smell, the wet scent of the grass under his feet, another fruity fragrance...  

Samael smiled softly and opened his eyes, watching the landscape before him. A landscape that appeased him, appeasing his torments as well. And his heavy thoughts swirling in his mind. A landscape that offered him a respite between each new discord with his siblings, between each new criticism, between each new questioning.  

He liked to come here and appease his mind, his senses. Coming here without anyone else. Being finally alone.  

The archangel sighed and leaned a little more comfortably against the trunk of the Tree of the Knowledge. Its long imposing branches covered with golden foliage gave a pleasant shady shelter. A peaceful place without unwelcome visitor where he could rest his mind.  

The perfect place for Samael.  

He put the back of his head against the hard surface of the tree and moved his legs against his chest, another sigh coming out from his lips.  

A sigh much heavier.  

As heavy as the young archangel's thoughts. Thoughts all the more sharper since this umpteenth argument. Another barren and exhausting argument with his brothers and sisters. Always about the same subject. It seemed he was the only one having escaped this horrible curse that had hit his family, really: having a huge poker up their ass since they were born. A difference they made him pay for it, as always.  

 _" Just follow the orders. "_  

 _" Stop_   _question_ _ing_ _everything all the time! "_  

 _" Fulfill your duty and nothing else... "_  

Nothing else.  

What if he wanted something else?  

Why couldn't he yearn to more than this? What was wrong with that?  

Desiring something else, a life really different from this one...  

Samael didn't understand. Maybe there was nothing to understand because all this was totally absurd. It was ludicrous, indeed. He was created by his  **F** ather, proclaiming  **H** imself as the only Master of the Universe.  

Wonderful.  

And now what?  

Just because of this...they all should be at  **H** is beck and call without any questioning? In what way his  **D** ad's All-Might was lawful? Being his son didn't mean he had to obey him unquestioningly in return.  

Nothing and nobody could force him to do anything.  

Samael only wanted to...  _try_. Trying this offered life out. This life was now his. See, live, evolve in this world as he meant to.  

He stared at the golden branches and the fruits above his head. He watched them for a moment, pensive, before moving his hand to one of them. He took the bright red fruit and turned it in his palm. This fruit holding much more than some tasty juice. This fruit promising much more and bringing other questions in his mind.  

If he was allowed to live his life fully, wasn't it the same for these creatures? These humans?  

Freedom had to be shared. Granted to all of them, angels and humans.  

Samael wanted to be free, he wanted justice.  

He wanted to have a choice.  

That **H** e gave them the opportunity to make their own choices.  

He felt the breeze ruffling the surface of his wings unfolded around him, like a feathery cocoon. He shivered with its touch and instinctively tightened his grip around the forbidden fruit that was taunting him for a while. Taunting him with a question, a simple question.  

" Hello. " 

Samael stopped looking at the fruit in his hand, his face turning to the origin of this dulcet tone. Turning to Eve. He looked at her from where she was standing, puzzled. She seemed herself scrutinize him curiously, her fair eyes staring at his white wings. The creature didn't seem frightened by his appearance but only intrigued. He should be the very first angel she had met since the beginning of her detention in this verdant prison. Because this Garden was nothing but an appealing prison in the eyes of the young archangel.  

And that was the first time that Samael saw her so closely. Her voice was tuneful, as tuneful as the birds could be. A pleasant innocent chirping, a music for ears. She was pretty, prettier than he remembered. Her long blond hair was gently touching her lower back, moving with the breeze. Her red lips gave a faint smile. A smile for him. Samael couldn't help but smile in turn. He felt in her a purity and a catching glee.  

That was strange. And so fascinating.  

Eve, standing until then a few steps from Samael, came closer to him. He didn't move, still sitting against the Forbidden Tree, watching the human approach him without any fear. She was cautious, though. She didn't know him, but had no reason to be suspicious. The young woman stood in front of him, hesitant. She looked hesitantly to Samael's wings unfolded on the grass. He understood her tacit question and – with a slight movement of shoulders – straightened his left wing to free some space next to him.  

She could keep him company. There was nothing wrong with that, was it?  

Eve smiled at him again before coming to sit by his side, keeping nevertheless a few inches away between her and Samael. He moved his wing again, half-folding it near the young woman lying under the tree. Eve watched curiously the feathery appendage, moving a hesitant hand to it. Samael - still busy playing with the fruit in his hand – watched her out of the corner of his eye, amused by her hesitation.  

" Go ahead. ", he told her. " You can touch it... " 

She stared at him for a moment before looking again at the folded wing near her leg, advancing and pulling back her hesitant hand. She finally touched it with her fingertips, at first. She let out a joyful exclamation and a bright smile shined her face as she slid her palm along the silky feathers. She stroked the inside of his wing, then coming in the other way and stroking again the top of it with an expression of pure wonder. A wonder that once again awakened an odd sensation in Samael. A gentle warmth inside his belly. Each more pronounced touch caused a series of chills along his spine, increasing the intensity of this odd sensation inside him.  

Eve stopped stroking the wing after a time and turned to him.  

" I'm Eve and you? ", she asked him directly as she came closer to him, their shoulders almost touching.  

" Samael. " 

She smiled at him again and looked at his wings and his clothes, curious.  

" Who are you, Samael? " 

Who was he?  

A banal question that caused another question. A deeper one. A more problematic one.  

Who did he want to be?  

Samael sighed deeply before answering in a weary voice:  

" An angel. " 

He looked at her and saw incomprehension on her face. Of course, she didn't understand...  

How could she? Knowledge was simple denied to her.  

" An  _angel_? What's that? ", she asked, leaning her back against the knotted tree behind her.  

How could he explain this? 

Samael looked for words, not wanting to go in complicated and incomprehensible explanations for this poor human without any knowledge.   

" Well... You see the big guy who talks to you and gives you orders all the time? ", he tried quite awkwardly.  

Eve nodded and moved her thin legs against Samael's wing.  

" God? " 

" Right... _God._  ", he muttered bitterly.  

God.  

What a pedantic denomination. Which fit  **H** im perfectly. A title fitting with  **H** is pride and **H** is will to control the entire universe. Yeas, this title was perfect.  

Samael once again turned the fruit in his palm before continuing:  

" God created me, too.  **H** e's my  **F** ather, in fact.  **H** e's up there with my other siblings. Angels are used to fulfill  **H** is will in the skies; that's why we all have wings... " 

Eve listened to him without a word and mechanically stroked his wing resting against her thigh. She seemed to think about the meaning of his words.  

" If angels live in the skies, what are you doing here, then? ", she asked him after a moment.  

" I needed to think alone... Far from these idiots. " 

" Think about what? " 

Samael closed his eyes for a moment.  

About what? 

 That was a very good question. A question that had been bothering him for quite some time. He opened his eyes and looked at Eve, who was watching him curiously and waiting for his answer.  

" About the meaning of my life. ", he finally said.  

They remained silent for a moment, both looking at the landscape before them. This verdant and flowery space as far as the eye can see. This controlled space, without any freedom. No real freedom of movement. Of actions. 

Of choices.  

" Eve? " 

" Mmmh?  

" Have you ever wondered what you were really doing here? ", he asked her in turn.  

" What do you mean, Samael? "  

" You're here, created by this  **D** ear  **O** ld  **D** ad who dictates you what you have the right to do or not, what you've the right to think or not... And then what? You  _just_  obey  **H** im unquestioningly? Wouldn't you want to have... a choice?  

Eve stared at him intently, her face looking far less innocent right now. She stood there, staring at him without saying a word, pensive. Samael looked her in the eye, too. He waited silently too. He waited for an answer. A hint about the right way to choose. She was the only one who could help him to make the right decision, the one that was necessary.  

The young woman stopped looking at the archangel sit by her side to look at the feathery appendage that was partially covering her legs.  

" Obeying is a choice per se, isn't it? ", she said, running her hand through the silky surface against her thighs.  

" It is, indeed. ", granted Samael, smiling softly. " But don't you think it's unfair to deprive you of all these possibilities without any valuable reason? Just because **H** e decided that way? " 

Eve looked at him again without understanding his words.  

"  _Unfair ?_  ", she repeated, confused.  

" It's means it's not right to you, it's wrong! ", he quickly explained to her.  

She didn't seem to understand that either; the right or the wrong.  

Of course, she didn’t.  

How could she? It was impossible without eating this fruit. These notions were unknown to her. How convenient it was for his Father. What these creatures didn't know couldn't fail them, could it?  

That wasn't fair.  

They have the right to know. To choose. They have the right to become aware of this choice that they were able to make on their own. 

Obeying or not.  

Samael brought the fruit up to his face, scrutinizing him with a new gleam in the eye.  

Yes, he was sure of himself now.  

All this didn't make sense. In so many ways.  

He turned to Eve, pensive. She watched in turns Samael and the fruit in his hand, curious. He slowly handed her the fruit, Eve following his gesture.  

" Wouldn't you want to have a choice knowingly? To have a  _real_ choice here? ", he asked her, still moving his hand to her.  

Eve kept watching the fruit in his opened hand and Samael, skeptical. She seemed having mixed feelings about this. She seemed curious, too.  

Perfect.  

Curiosity was a very good thing. A good start.  

He gave her comforting smile.  

" Eve...What's your deepest desire? "  

She looked Samael in the eye. It was an envious look. A desire he definitely understood for having it too. A desire to move forward. To evolve. To live his existence fully.  

A strong breeze ruffled Samael's skin and fluttered around a few strands of Eve's blond hair. The silence around them was only disturbed by this breeze.  

Slowly...Very slowly, Eve's hand rose and touched the red surface of the fruit of the Forbidden Tree.  

Touching an opportunity.  

Touching...  _a choice._  

 

 **_TBC with "Kick the Devil's ass "_ **  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again and always for reading me. 
> 
> Don't forget : a little comment is always appreciated ! 
> 
> Bye everyone !


	7. Kick the Devil's ass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to go back to Hell, guys !

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi :)
> 
> First of all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (it's not the time yet but whatever XD)  
> Here is another chapter for you.   
> Sorry for the possible mistakes. 
> 
> Enjoy !

Chloe was moving quickly. She _had to_ keep moving.

That was the only sure thing. An instinctive action that dominated her body and mind.

She ran. Drawing on her reserves. Drawing on that lasting fear that gripped her heart. The young woman stopped after a while, breathless as much by her frantic race than by the strong fear inside her. She leaned forward, panting, her shaky hands on her kneels. She tried to slow down her breathing, to slow down her erratic heartbeats.

She had to keep moving.

Chloe straightened up and looked around. She was alone in the middle of this-… What was that place? Some kind of jungle or something ?

She looked at the luxuriant plants surrounding her, plants looking scary from the darkness around. No light filtered. Everything was only darkness. Darkness and fear. The young woman hardly swallowed, something blocking the inside of her throat. She couldn’t stop the tremor that was invading each of her limbs, every part of her body. She didn’t remember having felt such a numbing fear before.

A deafening roar resounded not far from her. Chloe couldn’t hold back a surprised cry and stepped back, shaking. She stumbled against roots and fell to the muddy ground, crying again. The roar became louder and the surrounding plants were swept by a strong gust. An icy one. Chloe get back on her feet quickly, glaring at this direction.

 A cry resounded in the darkness around. A cry turning her blood to ice.

‘’  ** _Chloe! Run!_**  ‘’

That voice. Was it-…?

Chloe felt the roar coming closer to her. That was a very bad feeling. Trusting her instinct, she ran away from this threat. She ran as fast as her body could allow it, jumping over the obstacles on her way. She didn’t look back although the roar didn’t stop. It seemed _following_ her. She could feel an heavy pain along her side, but she didn’t slow down.

She couldn’t stop.

Stop moving would mean only one thing: her own death.

Her right foot bumped against a root and made her fell forward. Her knees met the ground, the detective letting out a cry of pain. A dull ache awakened in her ankle as she was exerting force on it to free herself. She managed to do so after a moment and got back on her feet as quickly as possible, panting. She limped a few meters, exhausted.

 Even so, she had to keep moving. She had to find a way-out. A shelter or-…

A dire snap resounded behind her.

Chloe froze, her whole body petrified. She noticed in a corner in her mind that the roar was gone. There was not a single sound except the previous snap. An equally disturbing and frightening silence. Each of her heartbeats resounded painfully against her sweaty temples, one single sound left inside her. Her wheezy breathing could be heard in the middle of these disturbing plants. She took a deep breath before pulling out her gun. With a quick move, she turned around and pointed her gun towards the noise.

There was nothing.

Chloe let out a sob, assailed by fear and other intense emotions. Adrenaline helped her stay in control of her body and mind. Partially in control of it, at least. Her gun was shaking violently in her hands covered with mud as she still pointed it towards the darkness. Chloe’s breathing sped up noticeably as she tightened her grip around the weapon, like an anchor to hold on to. She stared at the darkness for a long time, watching for the threat she felt earlier, any sign of pending danger.

There was a threat.

A real threat.

Terrifying. Inevitable, but untraceable.

Nowhere and everywhere at once.

Another strong gust lashed the back of her neck. Chloe turned quickly, on the alert. She stared with wide eyes this _thing_ in front of her. She didn’t know exactly what it was. A shadow much darker than the darkness itself. Big, releasing a cold and apocalyptic power. A power that was threatening her. Her instinct screamed her to run away from this. Run away as far as she could from this thing.

But she couldn’t.

Not with his sore ankle, not with this deep exhaustion pricking each of her muscles. Chloe was at this thing’s mercy.

She removed the safety catch and held her gun towards the shadow.

‘’ **_Freeze!_** ‘’, she shouted in a shaky voice.

Chloe could now see two cold piercing eyes. Eyes that stared at her intently, increasing her discomfort. She saw shockingly a sword appear in the hand of this thing. Or something looking to a hand. It was a huge sword. A blazing weapon pointed to her. The shadow kept staring at the detective with its strange eyes, the sword rising noticeably above its _head_. Unintelligible whispers were uttered by this thing. Whispers turning Chloe’s blood to ice. She didn’t understand their meaning, but each whispered syllable significantly increased her fear. She tightened her grip around her gun and shot.

She emptied her cartridge clip on this dark threat, hoping to keep it away from her.

But it was a wasted effort.

The bullets passed through the shadow, which was still keeping threatening the detective with its weapon as if nothing had happened. She lowered her gun, panicked and stepped back hastily as the shadow advanced towards her with a swift move.

She saw the blade rise above her head and going down quickly towards her.

** ***** **

Chloe opened her eyes and let out a cry of terror.

She couldn’t breathe, her breath blocked by a strong panic. She looked frantically around her, dazed. She shaky hands were tensed on the couch where she had fallen asleep. Chloe took a deep and noisy breath, her chest lifting to fill with some air. She exhaled as gently as possible; a long, deep breath as well. She put one of her hand where her heart was beating fiercely against her palm. Chloe briefly closed her eyes while trying to breathe slowly.

Which wasn’t easy. Not at all.

Her whole body remained tensed with this powerful fear, slyly petrifying every muscle and nerve. She brought her hands back to her face, rubbing her closed eyelids. A ludicrous gesture to dispel this feeling. The detective felt something wet against her fingers. She opened her eyes and looked at the tears running along her fingers.

Her tears.

She slowly exhaled again before sitting down. She rested her elbows on her knees and buried her tearful face in her shaky hands. She wiped the wet furrows along her cheeks and ran her hand through her hair.

‘’ A nightmare. It was just a nightmare, Chloe… ‘’, she whispered to herself, holding back a sob.

It was stupid, but she was upset. Still stuck with the intense emotions felt during this dream.

 Such an odd dream.

As much as the persistence of these unpleasant sensations.

This feel of danger, this panic…

Chloe gently rubbed her palms against her jeans, a mechanical gesture when she was really anxious. She couldn’t calm down or appease her body and mind. She felt as she was burning from the inside, every inch of her body still watching for this imaginary threat. She kept rubbing her palms against her thighs for a moment.

She was safe, now.

She was home. In her couch. Everything was fine. Everything was perfectly fine.

No danger.

It was just a nightmare.

A persistent one. It was far too real. Far too _familiar_. Her instinct told her it was something more than a banal nightmare. There was another meaning of this.

Yes, but which one?

And why did she always have it since a few days? Why was it more realistic and more threatening every time it invaded her subconscious?

Chloe inhaled and exhaled deeply, annoyed. Annoyed by her reaction and paranoia. It was just a dream. She stood up and slowly walked to the kitchen. She took a clean glass and filled it with water, pensive. She brought the glass to her lips and drank it quickly. The detective leaned then against the sink, looking at it without really seeing it.

_‘’ A nightmare. Just a nightmare… ‘’_

Someone knocked on the door, Chloe starting by hearing it. She turned to the front door, still leaning against the sink. She cursed herself to react like this.

It was ludicrous.

No matter how much she was telling herself this, the fear felt earlier was still here, hiding in her chest. She couldn’t get rid of it. Chloe left the glass in the sink and headed for the door, her hand slowly turning the handle.

Scarcely had she opened the door from a few inches that Lucifer sneaked in inside, giving her his usual charming smile. A smile tensed by something.

Nervousness, maybe? 

He was wearing his perfect black suit, a white shirt underneath. Chloe closed the door and watched him walked to the living room while talking to her:

‘’ Ah, Detective! I’m glad to find you here. We need to talk about som-…’’

He was interrupted by Chloe’s lips against his.

Chloe had filled the distance between them rather quickly, grabbing the collar of his shirt and kissing him straight away. She didn’t think. But thinking wasn’t really necessary in this kind of situation. She had just responded to a need. An urgent need to drain her body and soul of this fear. Lucifer was the only one who could protect her from it. It was quite ironic, in fact. The devil was usually caused fear around him. But not for her.

He calmed down her fears, not causing them.

They remained a moment like this, lips against lips. A simple kiss, but filled with tenderness. It appeased the young woman, fear being quickly replaced by something warm and gentle inside her belly. Lucifer’s hands gently stroked Chloe’s waist, who leaned more against her partner’s chest. She broke the kiss, her hand releasing the collar to stroke the base of his neck. Lucifer scrutinized the detective’s face, his own features showing surprise. He gave her a slight smile, his hand stroking her cheek.

‘’ Well, well, Detective… This isn’t what I was expecting by coming to your place, but I must say I’m pleasantly surprised by this new kind of talk between us! ‘’, he said, his smiling widening.

Chloe smiled at his comment. A tensed smile. The feeling of fear had finally disappeared, but the detective didn’t feel totally relieved. Lucifer seemed to notice something was wrong and gave her a worried look. He frowned and asked her softly:

‘’ Detective, are you all right? ‘’

‘’ Mmh… ‘’, she vaguely mumbled. ‘’ What are you doing here, Lucifer? ‘’

He laughed and said lightly:

‘’ Work before pleasure, isn’t it? You know, as for as the Devil is concerned, pleasure _is_ work. ‘’

Chloe laughed and leaned more against her partner’s body, who leaned his face towards hers. She stroked the skin once again under his collar, Lucifer quivering slightly with her fingers against his burning skin. She shrugged, a charming smile on her lips, lips coming closer again from her partner’s mouth.

‘’ Let’s get back to work, then. “, she suggested, her breathing meeting his to make just one.

Lucifer’s smile widened before closing the distance between their mouth and eagerly kissing the detective. She moaned against his lips as he tightened his embrace around her waist, trapping her in a pleasant noose. Chloe stroked her partner’s dark hair while deepening the kiss. She was each time pleasantly surprised by each embrace, each kiss shared with the man-…no, the _angel_ in her arms.

It was unrivalled.

She had never experienced this with Daniel, or anyone else before.

She felt at Lucifer’s mercy. As much as Lucifer felt the same about her. Each other depending on their mutual touch to survive. The heat inside her belly increased significantly, intensifying her desire too. They fell together on the couch behind them, laughing and kissing at the same time, Lucifer above her.

His hand raised along her side and he moved it under her sweater, stroking her skin skillfully at this spot. Chloe sighed with pleasure at this touch and grabbed Lucifer’s face eagerly, wishing to stroke every inch of his skin offered to her. Lucifer’s hand slowly raised along her side, titillating this spot with his fingers. The young woman quivering strongly against him, being in the grip of _undefinable_ sensations.

Chloe heard the front door open again and her ex-husband’s voice outside. She could hear Trixie’s voice, too. She jumped into her partner’s embrace, panicking. She pulled away from Lucifer’s lips while pushing him away violently.

Too much violently, perhaps.

Lucifer fell backwards on the floor, the back of his skull hitting the coffee table in front of the couch. Chloe sat up, slightly out of breath and blushing instantly. She saw Daniel and Trixie come in together and look with the same surprise on their face Lucifer lying on the floor. He leaned on his forearm while rubbing the back of his head.

‘’ _Bloody Hell!_ That hurts, Detective! Do it again! ‘’, he begged joyfully.

Daniel stood near the door and stared with an undefinable expression at Chloe’s disheveled silhouette on the couch and Lucifer on the ground. He sighed and exclaimed:

‘’ For the love of God… What are you doing here, Lucifer? ‘’

Lucifer stood up, turning his back to the detective, while rubbing his neck. He rolled his eyes, sighing heavily before commenting her ex’s previous words:

‘’ Even if I’m repeating myself, I’m _not_ doing anything for **H** is love, Detective _Douche_ ! Speaking of douche, you really should meet my dad; you’d be both as thick as thieves! ‘’

Daniel pinched his lips et placed his hands on his hips, annoyed by her partner’s unkind comments. Chloe watched them absent-mindedly. She tried to put her disheveled clothes in order. As she ran her hand through her hair, Trixie let go of her father’s hand and ran to Lucifer, exclaiming joyfully:

**_‘’ Lucifer! ‘’_ **

He jumped and stepped hastily backwards near Chloe.

‘’ Haaaaa! Back off, child! ‘’, he warned her, stopping by the detective, his hand between him and Trixie as a warning signal.

Trixie was still approaching him, opening her little arms to hug him. Lucifer grabbed Chloe’s arm, who finally lifted her head to him, puzzled. He pushed her unceremoniously before him like a human shield, Trixie’s arms wrapping around her mother’s waist and not around Lucifer’s.

‘’ Here you go! Keep this horrible thing for your mother, will you? ‘’

He skirted the mother and the child with extraordinary speed, passing Daniel and quickly opening the front door.

Chloe called out to him, dumbfounded:

‘’ _Lucifer_ … What are you doing? ‘’

He turned to her not without glaring at her daughter.

‘’ I’m saving my expensive suit from other collateral damage, Detective! My clothes are in constant danger since our last investigation, I have to be more careful about this. Oh, I almost forgot why I came here in the first place! What was I thinking? I’d need you to come at Lux before sunset: it’s about my _familial_ concern… Deal? ‘’

Chloe opened her mouth, puzzled by his nonsensical speech and not knowing what to say. She didn’t have to worry about it, though. Lucifer answered for her.

Of course.

‘’ _Wonderful ! ‘_ ’, he exclaimed, taking her silence as a yes. ‘’ See you later, Detective! _Douche_. Offspring. ‘’, he greeted them both before closing the door behind him.

A deathly silence followed his departure. Chloe closed her eyes briefly while pinching her lips. She shook her head, annoyed. Daniel took a few steps towards her, smirking. Chloe glared at him while stroking Trixie’s hair. He faced her, looking alternatively at the front door and the young woman.

‘’ I _really_ need to ask? ‘’

Chloe gave him a dirty look, his smile widening with her eyed reaction.

‘’ Nop. Because there’s nothing to ask! ‘’, she said abruptly.

Trixie lifted her face to her mother, who was still trapped in her daughter’s pleasant hug. She frowned, seemingly intrigued and asked her:

‘’ What were you doing on the couch with Lucifer? A game? Can I play with you? ‘’

Dan remained silent, holding back his laugh or any other comment that would soon cause her anger. Chloe closed her eyes again, feeling both ashamed and uncomfortable.

_Great._

** ***** **

Chloe quickly tied her hair in a loose bun as the elevator doors opened onto Lucifer’s penthouse.

She came out of the elevator, rubbing mechanically her beige raincoat with her hand. She saw Lucifer sit at the bar, sipping a drink. As usual. Not a disturbing vision. What was more disturbing was Mazikeen kneeling on the black floor, drawing intricate signs with a white chalk.

A _questionable_ vision.

Yes… questions. Chloe had many questions in mind right now.

She opened her mouth and closed it immediately, puzzled, her gaze going from Lucifer to Mazikeen. She turned to her partner, shouting at him sharply:

‘’ Thanks for dumping me, Lucifer! It was very kind of you. ‘’

Lucifer feigned to taking offense, placing one hand to his chest as she looked at him, amused. He replied with a falsely outraged tone:

‘’ _I_ should thank you first for this lovely bump, Detective! ‘’

He stroked mechanically the injured spot, a false painful expression on his face. Chloe rolled her eyes, feeling both annoyed and amused. She placed her hands on her hips and said in a detached way:

‘’ I guess I can hope a little more cleverness from you, now, can I? ‘’

‘’ Tease! ‘’, he taunted her before sipping his drink again.

Chloe closed her eyes and pinched her lips, another sharp reply threatening to come out. She shook her head gently while sighing before taking another look at the demon. She was focused on her task, unshakable. Whatever this task could be.

What was she doing?

She watched the complex and incomprehensible signs. Pentagrams, spirals… Strange symbols gradually forming a big white circle on the black floor. 

‘’ Lucifer, what the hell is going on here? ‘’, the detective asked him as calmly as possible.

Mazikeen finally stopped drawing on the ground to take a puzzled look at Chloe. She then stared at Lucifer, who pretended a sincere and sudden interest for the glass he was holding.

‘’ She doesn’t know? You were supposed to telling her! What were you doing to her place then? ‘’

Lucifer put his empty glass on the counter, sighing with exasperation before leaving his seat. He dusted his black jacket with one hand, removing imaginary crumbs on it. Chloe had noticed he was doing this every time he was upset with something.

‘’ I was physically mugged! ‘’, he complained, giving her a knowing look.

The detective tried to calm down her anger towards him. She wasn’t really patient tonight. And even less when Lucifer was concerned. She crossed her arms and glared at her partner, on edge.

 ‘’ The first shot wasn’t enough for you, was it? ‘’, he teased her, putting his hands in his pockets, unimpressed. ‘’ As much as I’d love to experience this again, we’re running out of time, darling. So, come over here. ‘’, he urged her to follow him to the balcony.

She followed him outside. Lucifer looked at the landscape before turning to her. The balcony was dimly lit by light orange gleam of the night to come. Chloe waited for her partner’s explanations as Mazikeen kept doing her odd pictures on the floor. Lucifer seemed reluctant to speak at first, probably looking for the best way to broach the subject. Whatever this subject could be. Chloe only knew it was about Michael. Nothing more.

‘’ So… I must deal with a major difficulty about this little hellish trip. ‘’

‘’ What kind of difficulty, Lucifer? ‘’

He pinched his lips, hesitant. The young woman suffered in silence, waiting once again for her partner to spit it out.

Why did the next part seem so much unpleasant to her?

He nervously stroked his ring, a forced smile on his face.

‘’ Listen Detective, I really don’t have time nor the patience to explain to you how the Gates of Hell work! ‘’, he said, as impatient as her.

‘’ Get to the damn point, then! ‘’

He opened his mouth before closing it, glancing quickly at the living room. He looked at her, still stroking his ring with one finger.

‘’ All right… Are you up for a little trip to Hell? ‘’, he asked her.

It took a few seconds to Chloe to understand what her partner just asked her.

Her. A trip to Hell.

Had she heard right?

She stared at Lucifer without saying anything for a long time, who was staring at her with hesitation. Seeming to wait for an explosive reaction from her. A reaction that threatened to come, indeed. She gulped, still stubbornly quiet. She finally opened her mouth after a while, not knowing what to answer to him except: ‘ _’ Huuuuuuuh… ‘’_

More or less.

Once again, Lucifer took this facial gesture as a yes. A very annoying habit from him.

‘’ Lovely! Let’s go! ‘’, he said as he gently pushed her toward the living room and this strange white circle.

Chloe held him by the arm and forced him to stay on the balcony. He turned to look at her again, giving her an impatient gaze.

‘’ Additional explanations would be great, Lucifer. ‘’

They shared a look and he sighed. He would probably have wanted to avoid that part. He hated this kind of thing. Dealing with sensitive situations for him. For her. For both of them.

‘’ Of course. ‘’, he agreed, shamefaced. ‘’ You preferred the short version, that said! ‘’

‘’ Not _that_ short, Lucifer. ‘’, his partner explained to him.

He stared at the setting sun, seemingly in a hurry or something. He gulped before explaining in turn:

‘’ There are several ways to go to Hell, Detective. The simplest is a dead sinner man or woman. We could use a Pentecostal coin or any other divine stuff…’’

Chloe nodded, focused. And fascinated. She was disturbed by Lucifer’s previous request, for sure. But learning more about the divine and demonic stuff was truly captivating. Although the isn’t the goal of this quick talk about demonic portals.

‘’ Unfortunately, I used my coin to send my wings back there. ‘’, he kept talking. ‘’ The only choice we have is to use human blood. Someone who’ll go in Heaven at the end of her life. _You_ , Detective, are this human. ‘’ 

She stared at him again, quiet. She’d never been so quiet in her life, for sure. She couldn’t tell what information stunned her the most: using her blood – quite logical, with the satanic rituals and all that… - or that he thought she’ll go in Heaven after her death.

‘’ How can you be so sure that I’ll go to Heaven? And why must I come with you anyway? My blood isn’t enough? ‘’, she asked him.

Lucifer sighed loudly. Her questions seemed ludicrous for her partner, obviously. He rolled his eyes, exasperated.

‘’ I am the _Devil_ , remember? It’s my job to know this sort of things, Detective! And no, it’s not enough. If you don’t come with me, I won’t be able to come back on Earth, nor to get my bloody feathery appendages back! Too long to explain, Detective! We’ll see this later! ‘’

She looked at the beautiful orange sky, her mind struggling with so many fears. So many questions, too. She felt her partner’s dark eyes on her as she ran her mind at full speed.

‘’ Will it be dangerous? ‘’, she asked, not looking at him.

She knew the answer. A stupid question she needed to ask out loud anyway. A fear she had to make disappear.

‘’ Of course! ‘’, he answered, holding his sneer. ‘’ But I wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt you…’’, he assured her in a much softer tone. ‘’ There’s no better bodyguard in Hell than the Devil himself, darling! ‘’

He placed his hand on her shoulder, asking her to face him. Chloe looked him in the eye. He took her by the shoulders and looked far more serious than before.

‘’ Look, we don’t have much time left. This ritual must be done at sunset, so we just have some tiny wiggle room here… Detective, _do you trust me?_ ‘’

Chloe didn’t answer right away.

Did she trust him? Did she trust enough to come to Hell?

She inhaled deeply before answering with a conviction she didn’t think she have:

‘’ Yes. ‘’

This simple answer seemed to fill her partner, his smile and eyes becoming softer with it. With this trust she gave him. She smiled at him, although her heart was beating quickly with apprehension. Lucifer let go of her and exclaimed joyfully:

‘’ Very well! Shall we? ‘’

He went back inside, the young woman on his heels. Lucifer walked around the big drawing on the floor, nodding in appreciation. Chloe came closer, intrigued. The circle was really big, taking half of the space. A smaller circle in the center had more complex symbols than the rest of it. The detective couldn’t have described them exactly. It would be like explaining alphabet to an _illiterate_. A risky but relevant parallel. Mazikeen stood up, tossing the white chalk a little further down on the floor, satisfied. She moved away from the circle, fetching her blades on the piano as well as her black leather jacket. While the demon had everything, she needed for the _dangerous_ trip, Chloe turned to Lucifer who was touching a symbol outside the circle with one finger.

‘’ How long we’ll be gone? ‘’, she asked him, concerned about leaving Trixie.

Lucifer stood up and placed himself in the center of the smaller circle, shrugging.

‘’ No more than a second, Detective. Time is much slower down there. Come here, please. ‘’, he invited her with a wave of his hand.

She hesitated briefly before stepping across the circle. Lucifer showed her a place to his right, on a sign looking like a _shell_.

‘’ Here we go… don’t move, okay? Maze? ‘’

Mazikeen put her blades in her pockets and went without hesitation in front of Chloe, on the left.

What was she doing? Was she really going to Hell with the devil?

Apprehension increased more and more inside the detective. She looked worryingly at Lucifer and the demon. Her partner stretched his right hand in front of him, above a white star with winding ends. Chloe watched him do so, puzzled. Mazikeen seized Lucifer’s left wrist forcefully. He turned his focused face towards his partner.  

‘’ Take my wrist, Detective and stretched your other hand above mine, palm to the sky, please. Thank you. ‘’, he told her.

She did as he said, clutching her fingers around Lucifer’s warm wrist. Mazikeen and him shared a knowing look. She took one of her demonic knife, moving it to Chloe’s palm. Lucifer looked at her again and said very seriously:

‘’ Whatever happens, do not let go of my wrist, Chloe. ‘’

She nodded, unable to speak. Using her name surprised her more than his serious tone. It was rare enough to make her understand that was really important. She would not let go. Never. He gave a brief nod to Mazikeen. The demon placed the sharp blade against Chloe’s palm, slicing the skin with a quick move. The detective started slightly with the bite of the blade on her skin, but didn’t move her hand. She saw the blood appeared from the cut and ran down along her palm. A carmine drop splashed the onyx stone of Lucifer’s ring. A drop quickly followed by a second one. Then a third.

And then, the world around her blew up to pieces.

A _silent_ explosion.

Powerful and yet devoid of deafening sounds. Only for a second, though. The air was sucked into the center of the circle, violent gusts lashing her face and shaking limbs. She saw the chalky marks sparkle like diamonds. A strong light forcing her to close her eyes.

A good thing, obviously.

Because right after she closed them, Chloe felt herself fall, the ground shirking under her. She opened her mouth, a terrified scream stuck inside her throat as she kept falling rapidly with Lucifer and Mazikeen. She squeezed with all the strength she could her partner’s wrist, holding to him desperately. She opened her eyes and only see _chaos_.

Everything around her was Light and Darkness at the same time.

Nothing made sense. For her, at least.

Lightnings frequently assaulted her, lightnings caught in a disgusting shadow. Shadow that didn’t prevent them from this fall. The only sensible information was Lucifer’s burning skin under her moist palm. An anchor in the darkness.

The air was sucked into this chaos. She was suffocating. Unable to breathe freely. She didn’t really suffocate either. All of this was very confusing. Unclear. Horribly intense. She felt both pulled and compressed by undefinable strengths around her.

She thought hearing a cry near her.

Was it Lucifer? Or her imagination, maybe?

She couldn’t tell.

Lucifer’s skin burned even more under her fingers, a pleasant warm quickly turning into an unbearable furnace. The detective felt like holding a boiling pan or something. Her grip loosened around her partner’s wrist, despite her efforts to maintain it.

Her hand slid slowly along his burning skin to finally let go of it.

Chloe screamed in terror, her scream getting lost inside the dreadful chaos assaulting her from everywhere. She moved her hand in front of her, hoping to grab her partner’s wrist again and escape from this nightmare.

But her hand only met the void.

Her fall became faster than before, her body pulling from everywhere. Her breathing became slower as the darkness gained ground. Black spots blocked her sight, her eyes closing slowly. Chloe felt her body and mind surrender to the unbearable chaos around her.

Her last sensible thought was for her daughter.

She sincerely hoped to survive to this.

And kick the Devil’s ass.

 

 

**_TBC with " Welcome to Hell ''_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading me :)


	8. Welcome to Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!   
> I’ll never thank you enough for the kudos, bookmarks and comments on my stories. So… thank you again!   
> I’ve decided to get a little more organized than before with my translated chapters. So, I’ll only publish one chapter every two weeks which should give me some time to translate the others in peace and quiet. And reduce the mistakes, too, I hope! (MorganEveningstar don’t hesitate to tell me, right? ^^)  
> Happy reading!

**WELCOME TO HELL**

 

_“ Bloody Hell… “_ was the first coherent thought to pierce the thick fog firmly holding Lucifer’s mind.

A swear word quickly followed by many questions.

Where was he? What was he doing here? Why was it impossible for him to move a finger?

Lucifer was struggling to gather the scattered pieces of his psyche, still groggy. The only thing he could understand so far was this agonizing heaviness of his body. The rest still escaped him. The reasons of his presence here – whatever this _here_ could be -, the reason of his mental and physical paralysis, …

In short, questions without answers over and over again. Nothing bloody new. Nothing he wasn’t used to now. Too much used, perhaps.

He tried to move again; trying to open his eyes or even bend his finger… anything. Nothing. Just this feeling of having a heavy weight on him and inside him. If his body didn’t obey him, he could at least try to wake up his momentarily weakened mind. It seemed to him more and more vital to remember the latest events. ‘Sort of matter of life or death.  As always. His life had been taking a rather dramatic turn for some time, he couldn’t help but notice.

“ _Come on, Luci. Focus… “_

How did he get here? And, above all, _**why**_ ?

These questions were taunting him insistently, the answer flapping on the surface of his mind and escaping him each time he thought nearing his goal. Why was the detective not here to help him when he needed it the most? When he needed her analytical mind, more precisely.

Chloe.

Thinking about the detective was like a big explosion burning every nerve, every cell in his body. The necessary shot to regain his strength and suddenly open his eyes, gasping noisily and filling his aching lungs. He coughed violently when this thick but salutary air came inside him, his whole body shaking uncontrollably. Before that, Lucifer felt absolutely nothing and now every inch of his body was bloody painful. It was like a truck had run him over… several times. At many, _many_ times. Still gasping for air, Lucifer remained against the ground, staring disgustedly at the grayish ashes that made the mistake of ending their fall on his face.

“ Home Sweet Home. “, he muttered to himself with bitterness.

He was back in Hell.

No doubt about this. _Disgusting ashes_ meant _Underworld._ Unless a volcano had appeared in the middle of L.A. Possible but slightly improbable, anyway.  He inhaled again, inhaling thus the insipid, thick air around him. This air devoid of terrestrial or celestial scents. This squalid air with its lack of nuances. And everyone still wondered why he preferred living on Earth…

Lucifer began to straighten up, using his forearms to move his back from this dusty, arid floor. A throbbing pain – much more intense than the rest – awoke in his right arm. He groaned and leaned on his left arm to gently lift the wounded limb, causing another shot of pain by doing so and groaning again. He bit the bullet and checked his arm. His hand and his forearm were in bad shape: the skin was reddish and burned from the fingers to the elbow, like he had plunged his limb into embers. His suit wasn’t better, his sleeve and shirt underneath totally burnt out to the elbow, their remains having horrible brownish hue. Lucifer sighed heavily. Another suit completely ruined. He let out a disdainful exclamation while keeping looking at the damage on his skin.

How could it be more ironic? The Lord of Hell suffering with serious burns…

He cautiously moved the wounded limb against his chest, each rubbing - brief or not – with his suit awakening a sharp pain and another groan of protest. _It hurt like Hell !_ Much more than he thought. Lucifer sat up with his only valid arm and looked around him.

“ Maze? Chloe? “, he hailed.

A hoarse mumbling was the only thing coming out from his throat. Lucifer swallowed, his throat was dry and achy.  He tried again, screaming loudly this time:

**_“ Detective ? Mazikeen ? “_ **

Nothing.

Just more than this empty space. He kept looking worriedly all around him ; watching for a sign, a movement inside the thick fog caused by the eternal ash in this place. He was alone. Alone, lost to the Gates of Hell. They hadn’t arrived where they wanted, it was obvious now. Not a single cell nearby, no cobbled paths with obsidian or scary dark columns. There was nothing around him but an arid, dusty and dark land. Not to mention these bloody ashes.

He had landed at the Frontiers of the Underworld.

Far, much too far, from their original goal.

Not to mention the fact that he was alone. How could this have even happened? Everything had gone as planned. Chloe’s blood had fulfilled its goal, opening the gates created between Earth and Hell. Lucifer closed his eyes, trying to remember what happened. He remembered their fall in the depths, the chaos surrounding them, the detective’s firm grip around his wrist.

And after that… Everything went wrong.

Lucifer had felt a new and unexpected power coming from his ring. Something different from the demonic power he was using to keep the way open to the Underworld. A gentle heat had spread inside his arm, warming his hand and wrist. Spreading to his elbow. A heat that had quickly became a furnace. An excruciating heat that had made his skin _glow,_ first lighting up slowly and then blinding him as easily as the Sun. Then an explosion followed this odd phenomenon.

And after that…

Nothing.

Lucifer couldn’t remember what had happened next. What he remembered so far was already totally absurd. Quite improbable, too. And yet, his skin was as red as a crawfish and he was bloody alone. He looked at the ring around his burned finger, puzzled. The tiny white grooves seemed… _whiter_. It was like each line lighted up briefly with a strange flood of unknown power.

Lucifer blinked, stunned.

What the hell was that?

He looked again at the onyx stone, staring intently at the light grooves. Light and _normal_ , sort of’. No odd power. Nothing. Had he imagined this? Maybe.

He moved his arm against his chest, using his other arm to stand up. Each of his limbs seemed to strongly protest with each movement. He finally got back on his feet, staggering a little and panting again. Lucifer took a deep breath and began to walk. He didn’t know exactly where he was going. Without Mazikeen and her abilities, he would probably go round and round in circles. Never mind. He had to find them, she and the detective. The detective, in particular. Lucifer was much less worried about the demon who would certainly have found him before he even begins to look after her.

Chloe came first.

Bringing a human in Hell was already a sensitive idea. Just sensitive if they had landed in the right place as planned. The Frontiers significantly increased the gravity of the situation.

Lucifer placed his hand above his eyes, hoping to see more easily.

But it was a wasted effort.

He couldn’t see anything more than ten meters away.

He had to find Chloe.

Before _they_ find her.

**-xXx-**

Lucifer sighed with frustration again as he removed the ashes covering his shoulders with an impatient gesture.

He was wandering from what seemed like hours in this place without finding anyone.

Where the hell was she?

She should be somewhere. It couldn’t be otherwise.

He had to find her.

Now.

He stopped walking, exhausted, holding his achy limb against his chest. He looked at the surroundings bathed in mist as thick as leather. Nothing was visible beyond a few meters.

Not a sound, not a move. Nothing.

Nothingness.

The same apocalyptic nothingness where he had fallen eons ago. Lucifer’s throat clenched with this memory, something he didn’t want to think about.

Never.

He walked again, moving much more slowly than he would have liked, slowed down by the ash and the pain.

“ Detective? “, he cried. “ You hear me? “

Only emptiness answered him, taunting him once more with the silence. Lucifer held another annoyed sigh. He really regretted not having Mazikeen’s powers. Her olfactory abilities would have been a precious help right now. And a big time-saving trick.

The farther he was walking in the mist, the more he regretted having involved the detective in this insane journey.

What on earth was he thinking?

Bringing a human made of flesh and blood here… such a stupid idea. No. The most ludicrous plan ever attempted in the whole history of the Universe. Plan signed Lucifer Morningstar, of course. Only the devil would do this. Stupid actions, he loved that. But bring Chloe here-…

He, who had given his word to protect her…

Amazing protection, indeed! It was absolutely perfect! Wonderful!

Lucifer clenched his teeth and glared at the skies just pouring ash after ash on his hair and his burned suit.

“ It would be _absolutely divine_ if **Y** ou’d give me a hand with this! You know… to correctly fulfill **Y** our bloody mission! “

Lucifer didn’t really wait for an answer.

He just needed to let him work things off. Of course, he would have no answer… Come on! Why would **H** e? He can’t expect much from this **H** ighly **D** ouche, a douche who didn’t know **H** is ass from **H** is elbow. That was obvious. **H** e was spending **H** is time giving orders, sending missions to everyone without once moving **H** is big ass from **H** is celestial throne.

The **V** ery **F** irst **L** azy- **A** ss.

Lucifer was there with his grievances about His **D** ear **O** ld **D** ad when an easily identifiable noise reached his ears.

A gunshot. Quickly followed with others.

_Chloe._

That was her. Who else would try to kill supernatural beings with terrestrial weapons? Only a stubborn and terribly attractive detective.

Lucifer stepped up the pace, running as fast as he could towards the noise. A disturbing sensation made him slow down for a brief moment before stepping up again. A ferrous taste along his palate followed by known pins and needles. A sensation with disastrous consequences explaining the gunshots. Lucifer kept running towards the young woman, his breathing growing weaker with each new step. He avoided screaming the detective’s name, although he bloody wanted to do so to find her quickly. He didn’t want to draw attention on him. By doing so, he could still rely on the element of surprise with them. Lucifer finally saw the easily identifiable detective’s profile in the middle of the ash mist. Relief filled Lucifer’s body and quickly vanished to feel real fear.

Chloe was stepping back hastily while shooting continuously at the huge creature facing her, the bullets rebounding on its skin. Lucifer saw the _Garm_ approach slowly the young woman, one step after another, smacking its lips at the thought of eating up its prey very soon. Blood stained every visible part of its white fur, dripping regularly on the dusty ground and along its sharp black teeth. Its four bright red eyes were staring at its prey, a disturbing grunt coming out of its throat as its muscles tensed before the attack.

Chloe kept stepping back, panicked. She stumbled and fell back while letting out a scream. Lucifer saw the creature leap towards the detective; its bloody, sharp maw steering towards her. A maw that let out a plaintive and pathetic yelp while Lucifer grabbed it by its throat, tightly squeezing his valid fingers around the trachea of the creature.

He had stood between the _Garm_ and the detective quickly, forgetting the pain and the exhaustion by simply seeing Chloe in danger.

This human had too much power on him, really.

He glared at the dying creature, a threatening grin on his face. Lucifer increased the pressure, a sinister crack resounding under the tension as the red eyes of the _Garm_ rolled back in its head. Lucifer threw the dead creature further away, the _Garm_ causing a deep groove as it slid over the ground. He turned to the detective who was still lying on the floor, staring at him with wide-eyed. He could see so much emotions on her face. Lucifer gave her a charming smile.

“  Detective… I thought I told you not to let go of my wrist! “

 

**-xXx-**

Chloe stared at him in silent for a moment and then stood up somehow while Lucifer was looking at her doing so, amused. She opened her mouth to protest when a piercing scream resounded through the mist around them. Lucifer turned quickly, muttering some curses.

They were plagued by bloody bad luck!

Even if her soul was planned to go to Heaven, the detective more looked like a big magnet for problems right now than some walking lucky-charm.

Chloe jumped and came closer to Lucifer, holding her gun firmly against her thigh.

“ What’s that? “, she asked as another scream resounded.

“ _That_ is trouble, Love. “, he simply answered, staring at the mist around him, his muscles tensed in anticipation of what will come.

He grabbed her arm and pushed her behind him.

“ Stay behind me! “, he told her in a tense voice.

What could he do?

He couldn’t distract them long enough for Chloe to have time to run away. She wouldn’t do it, anyway, stubborn as she was. They began to know how the other work in the end. She wouldn’t leave him. It wouldn’t even work. These creatures were too smart to be fooled so easily.

“ It would be the perfect timing to show up, Maze… “ , he muttered as the screaming was coming closer.

He heard Chloe loading her gun quickly behind him, the noise of the removed trigger guard resounding after another scream. Lucifer kept looking around him, on the lookout, while warning his partner:

“ It won’t work, Detective. Terrestrial weapons are useless against them. I’d like to be wrong about this, trust me! “

“ And what on earth is **_them_**? “, asked the young woman again, on the alert too.

“ The rest of _its_ tribe. “, Lucifer explained vaguely, pointing to the dead creature covered with blood not far from them. “ They’re known as ** _Garms_** ; some kind of war dogs… in a more _hellish_ version. “

Chloe was now back to back with him, pointing her gun in front of her. The screams were more powerful from second to second, quickly followed by fleeting movements in the thick mist. Lucifer followed each suspicious movement with his eyes, focused.

“ Why are they attacking us? You’re the _devil_ ! “, asked the detective, her body shaking against her partner’s.

“ Well, I didn’t notice this tiny detail, Detective, thank you for that! They aren’t attacking **_us_** … They are attacking **_you_**. It’s not the same. “, he replied, turning slightly to the left, Chloe following him.

“ Why?! “, she exclaimed, stunned.

Lucifer sighed briefly before answering to her:

“ It can’t be because your righteous soul looks like the best candy for them, can it? They were born to protect the Gates of Hell and kill any human or angel who ever dares to approach my Kingdom. “

They heard a roar a meter from them, Chloe sharply jumping against him. Lucifer took her hand, hoping to reassure her. She held his palm against hers tightly, scared.

“ Can’t you just stop them ? You know, like: _Stay ! Good dog !..._ or something? “, Chloe suggested desperately, still firmly holding Lucifer’s hand.

Lucifer let out a mocking exclamation. He wished it would be that easy.

“ They’re not _that_ stupid, Detective! It doesn’t work like this and I haven’t come back here for five years, I don’t think it’ll help us either. Did I forget to tell you it **_could_** be dangerous? “, he joked, looking over his shoulder.

They looked at each other. Chloe stared at him with her grey eyes blurred by fear. She squeezed his hand, Lucifer stroking her skin with his thumb. A simple gesture to reassure her.

They really were in deep shit.

But why saying this out loud, right?

“ You’ll keep them away easily, right? “, she asked again, scrutinizing Lucifer’s face.

She was scrutinizing him, hoping to see in his features an answer, a hope to stay alive. Lucifer remained silent, scrutinizing her too as a thick knot blocked his throat.

What could he answer to that?

He couldn’t lie. Even now. Even for her.

He swallowed and whispered:

“ Stay behind me. “

 

**-xXx-**

Lucifer stared at the otherworldly mist in front of him.

He looked to his left. To his right. Behind him.

Where were they going to attack? Would it be together?

No.

They wanted to play with them.

They wanted to tease them, to test them. They’ll take their time to find the weak spot. The ideal opening to get the upper hand on him and the detective.

Lucifer tensed his muscles. He had an advantage. One slight advantage. Two, even.

First, he was the devil.

It balanced the ratio of power a little, injured or not. Secondly, he knew how these bloody monsters were attacking. He had created them, after all. The _Garms_ were using their piercing screams to frighten their victims, of course, but also to delude them. Each scream led the prey to turn in that direction as the attack was coming from another position. Simple and drastic. _Divide and conquer._ One creature was creating a diversion while the others were giving the mortal blow.

Well, not this time.

Lucifer closed his eyes, focusing on his senses. His perceptions. He emptied his mind, awakening a part of him that he usually preferred to keep locked up. He didn’t really need it so far, anyway. Not on Earth, at least. It had been a while since he had used his demonic powers… except with Alu in the warehouse. He couldn’t use them for a long time, even in Hell. His powers didn’t depend on where he was but on his vital energy.  Hell or not, if there was no more power left; _game over_. Given his actual state, he would be lucky if he could use his demonic abilities for more than three minutes.  Three _hellish_ minutes, of course. Lucifer opened his eyes, staring with these eyes as black as ink at the mist.

_Three minutes._

He saw in the mist the shape of a _Garm_ , its body encircled with a reddish glow. This fog could no longer hide it now.

Lucifer was seeing everything.

Every movement, every step, every change of direction, …

Nothing escaped him. For only three minutes. He had to use this time wisely.

He saw one creature screaming again. Lucifer didn’t move an inch, looking discreetly over his shoulder. He saw it, the _Garm_ slowly approaching from behind. He remained still, his face and the rest of his body still facing the first demonic dog. The second came closer, not far from Chloe, tensing its muscles before jumping towards his partner’s neck.

A fatal mistake.

With swift move, Lucifer pushed Chloe to the side with his shoulder as the teeth of the creature were chattering at the exact spot where her head had been a tiny second ago. Lucifer punched it with his elbow into its side, the dog whining as it was thrust out away from them; its shape stained with blood vanishing into the fog. Lucifer vaguely heard the detective exclaiming in surprise by being pushed that way but he quickly focused on the other creatures. They were more than before.

_Two minutes._

He watched the two _Garms_ on his left that were cautiously moving on this spot, hesitant.

The previous assault and Lucifer’s response had slowed down their voracity. He stared at them with his dark eyes, on the alert. What were they going to do now? Were they going to attack together or continue with their usual plan?

They turned around him, looking at him with their disgusting red eyes, blood dripping slowly from their white fur. Lucifer felt Chloe move slightly away from him. He grabbed her arm again without looking at her and pushed her firmly close to him. Thinking that he was off-guard by doing so, the two hellish dogs charged Lucifer in a same move, each other attacking one of his side.

Lovely.

Lucifer loved challenges.

He grinned as they leaped to him at the same time. Lucifer pushed the detective with his back, hearing her exclaim in protest as her butt met the dusty floor against her will. He lowered his head at the very last second, the two creatures colliding together directly and their bones making a sickening noise as they cracked with the impact. A disgusting spurt of blood spattered Lucifer’s face as the monsters fell to the ground in a heap of bloody flesh.

_Sixty seconds._

Lucifer looked for the detective, worried that the next charge would be for her. A reasonable supposition given that she was their target.

Well…

That’s what he thought. Until now.

He saw another _Garm_ a few inches from Chloe who was literally petrified by fear on the ground. The dog only skirted slowly the young woman as if she was just a speck of dust among so many others. It walked as slowly towards Lucifer, a fierce grunt coming out from its maw. Lucifer watched the _Garm_ cautiously coming closer, puzzled.

_“ What on earth is going on? “,_ he thought, confused.

They weren’t meant to attack him but her. She was the human to kill. He didn’t really enjoy this but-… that was the way it went.

Then why? He was the devil. He wasn’t human and even less-…

No.

That was totally impossible.

Another scream drew his attention at the other end of the _Garm._ He noticed three more monsters rushing at top speed at him. Lucifer tensed, ready to fight. An excruciating pain burst in his right shoulder, causing him to scream, surprised. And annoyed. He was mad at himself.

He was such an idiot!

Caught off-guard by the turn of the events, he had been distracted like a bloody novice. The _Garms_ rushing at him were just a diversion, the real attack coming behind him. The sharp fans of the white dog pierced his muscles, Lucifer screaming again. The attack made him fall forward, the _Garm_ exerting all its weight against his lower back, pinning him to the ground. Lucifer felt his own blood running along his neck and soaking his shirt before the floor under him. Gunshots resounded again and he restrained himself from rolling his eyes.

Couldn’t she avoid to stand out?

He could fell his eyes come back to normal; the three minutes were gone. A deep exhaustion began to numb his senses, exhaustion caused by his wounds and the important decline of his energy.

Lucifer groaned and tried to drive out the beast.

Which was bloody useless.

He was far too weak. He turned his head, seeing the hazy shapes of the three other creatures.

Was the devil really going to be eat by his own dogs?!

Wonderful…

_Being plagued by bad luck_ sounded almost wrong and easy with this.

He closed his eyes, completely exhausted. He no longer felt anything. Not even the fangs deeply sunk in his flesh. A known whistling followed by animal yelps encouraged him to quickly open his eyes. Lucifer gave a blurry look at the lifeless bodies of the _Garms_ in front of him, their blood soaking now the floor. Another metallic, piercing whistling resounded in the air and the beast on him weighted more heavily against his back. Lucifer groaned in protest, his chest really missing some space to breathe. Before he could even try to move by himself, this weight finally vanished, Lucifer inhaling noisily. Then someone helped him to stand up. The surroundings reeled dangerously around him, his legs almost giving in to his own weight. He would have fallen face down if those two thin but firm hands hadn’t held him in place.

Lucifer looked blurrily at Mazikeen, a faint smile shining his exhausted features.

“ You’ve always known how to make a dramatic entrance, Mazie… “, he complimented her softly.

“ And you,  how getting yourself into a real mess, Lucifer! “, replied the demon aggressively, her eyes only expressing a real concern about her master’s state. 

Lucifer focused on Chloe. Safe and sound.

He sighed with relief and gave her his most charming smile.

“ Detective… Welcome to Hell! “

 

 

**TBC with: _“ Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here “_**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes:   
> The Garms are the keepers of the Kingdom of Death in Nordic mythology. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this new hellish chapter ;p   
> Let a little comment as always. The next one will be published Friday in two weeks.   
> Bye bye and have a nice weekend! :D


	9. Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrived in Hell, Lucifer had to find Chloe before the worst happen to her.  
> Fortunately, Garms can't face the Devil and Mazikeen together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes :
> 
> Hi everyone,  
> I've promised you this chapter last week but - having forgot it on my other computer - I couldn't.  
> The chapter published next week will be for "These war and games", so I give you this one now. ^^ It's for the best, not two weeks to wait then!
> 
> Happy reading !

**ABANDON ALL HOPE, ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE**

 

 

Chloe stared a long time at Lucifer without saying a word.

She wouldn’t know what to say or was simple not able to express a consistent thought right now.

This place was far beyond logic. The human logic, at least. And the detective had still trouble to understand what was surrounding her and what it meant. Once again, she was hit head-on by all these things, all this totally unknown world hidden from the mankind.

Nothing could have prepared her for this experience. Something she would never have thought of living. She never thought she had to live this and understand this world one day.

Visiting Hell… What a visit!

The beginning was really promising and quite pleasant! Filthy dogs trying to eat you in no time, a stifling air with an endless rain of ashes around you… what a beautiful landscape. It was perfect for taking some rest; she could come with Trixie next time!

Chloe inhaled deeply and squeezed her fingers around her gun, slightly shaking. She had to calm down or she would never weather the storm. She truly hoped that the worst was far behind them without believing it one single second. This apocalyptic place still hadn’t showed them all it could do, she was unfortunately sure of this. The question was: would they all survive long enough to get Lucifer’s wings back?

Would **_she_** survive?

She didn’t know why but she was pretty sure that a human had far more to fear from Hell than the devil and a well-trained demon. She exhaled as gently as possible to appease her heartbeats in her chest and thus appease her intense emotions that were petrifying every part of her body.

Lucifer was looking at her, a broad smile on his face. A smile trying to hide his sincere concern for her, she could see his anxiety reflect in his dark eyes. Chloe slowly put her gun in her holster while giving him a slight, forced smile. She was hoping reassure him with it and that her partner would understand: she was fine – as fine as she could be given the circumstances – and she would certainly not leg it. Her partner’s gaze softened, relieved. Then the rest of his features suddenly tensed, Chloe scrutinizing him with concern too. His legs gave out briefly, Mazikeen holding him still, as much worried as the young woman.

“ Lucifer! “, the demon exclaimed worriedly, Lucifer’s face noticeably turning very pale.

He smiled softly and briefly closed his eyes, seemingly exhausted. Chloe approached them quickly and helped Mazikeen to hold him up, anxious.

“ …‘m fine. ‘Just need… break. “, he said, panting.

They helped him sit on the floor covered with gray ashes, Lucifer wincing first and then sighing with relief. The detective finally noticed that he was squeezing his right _burned_ arm against his chest. How did this happen? Certainly not during the attack.

Then, how?

She knelt beside him, scrutinizing him openly. He noticed her gaze on him and smiled slightly, looking at her from the corner of the eye:

“ Like what you see, Detective? “

She smirked as she checked the deep wounds along his right shoulder, blood slowly running down the folds of his suit.

“ Not really. “, she replied gently, touching the wounds with her fingertips, Lucifer’s body tensing almost immediately. “ I prefer men who are not _covered in blood_ for the first date… “

“ You shouldn’t have used thoughtlessly your powers, Lucifer. “, the demon told him off, standing up in front of him and hiding her concern with this weak negative comment.

Lucifer tried to apply pressure on his shoulder with his left hand, a long whistling coming out from his tightly closed lips with the pain and he then looked at Mazikeen.

“ Well, in that case, I did _think_ that using my powers here might be vital. With the _Garms_ and a human in distress… but maybe it wasn’t _that_ dangerous, you’re right! “, he replied, annoyed.

Chloe and Mazikeen exchanged looks while Lucifer was cursing vague insults about demons and flea-ridden dogs. Mazikeen pinched her lips before sighing heavily, crossing her arms on her chest as she was used to when she was upset. Lucifer didn’t pay attention to her, keeping shouting nonsenses while still placing his hand against his injured shoulder. She shook her head, sighing again.

“ I’m gonna get my blades. “, she told them as she walked towards the dead dogs not far from them. “ Stay with him, Decker, I’ll be right back. “

Chloe nodded and looked the dark-haired woman walk away in the thick fog. She could understand her concern. More than just understand, she was also sharing this feeling. Seeing Lucifer put his life in danger for her was… hard to accept. She was thankful he did it but if protecting her meant that he always should risk life and limbs…

She couldn’t accept this possibility.

 She cared about him. She didn’t want to lose him.

The detective came closer to him, Lucifer finally stopping to curse everything around him and turning to her. Chloe grasped his collar and began to slide as slowly as she could the rest of the black jacket along her partner’s shoulders.

“ We must take care of your wounds, Lucifer. “, she said, keeping gently pulling off the jacket.

Lucifer tightly pinched his lips while she kept going, the blood already sticking to his wounds and the fabric together. She looked at him, feeling bad for what she was going to do and then pulled sharply the burned sleeve. The red liquid began to run along his shoulder again, soaking the white fabric of his shirt. Lucifer groaned while glaring at the detective, but remained still and quiet. Chloe finally managed to take off his jacket, placing it on his lap, and checked more carefully the wounds caused by the sharp fangs of the beast. Well, the demon or…the _thing_. She moved the fabric now red at this level, looking at the extent of the damage which seemed serious at first, but rather negligible in the end.

She then looked at his right arm.

The burns seemed serious, but she couldn’t be certain. She was a cop, not a doctor. She tried to stay focus, checking her partner’s multiple wounds. Keeping focus on this prevented her from thinking about where she was. About this danger endlessly turning around her. Chloe was feeling an instinctive need to hide and wait for the next threat.

They couldn’t be sure that they were safe, could they?

These creatures were probably not the only keepers here, right? What if others come to kill them?

“ We’re safe, Detective. At least for now. “

She stopped looking at Lucifer’s hand and looked him in the eye. His dark eyes always reassured her. They never lie. They would never lie. She smiled at him, reassured, before taking his jacket and tearing it up. Outraged, Lucifer opened his mouth, many insults and outraged vociferations threatening to come out from it shortly. The detective overtook him, anyway.

“ Let me guess : this jacket is much more valuable than my house, it’s a unique model et cetera, etc. “, she made fun of him. “ I had to tend to your wounds, Lucifer. I’m pretty sure there’s no hospital nearby, is there? “

He didn’t reply, only squinting and keeping going to give her a dirty look. Which didn’t impress the young woman. She kept talking to him while tearing several pieces of fabric up from the jacket:

“ Imagine it’s like being bandaged with really expensive stuff. You usually like expensive stuff, right? That’s it: a Band-Aid costing at least five hundred dollars! Happy, now? “

She began to wrap the bands around his wounded shoulder, trying to avoid as much as possible to hurt him more in the process. She saw Lucifer closing his eyes at times when she was touching this area too frankly. He didn’t complain, though.

“ _Happy_ … That’s not really the first word crossing my mind right now. “, her partner replied quietly as she knotted the bandage to held it in place. “ And it costs _seven_ hundred dollars, Detective! “

“ My bad, then! “, she replied in turn, not feeling bad at all.

Chloe gently took his right arm, Lucifer tensing again without one single sound escaping from his mouth. It was quite unusual to see him so quiet for so long. It would have been funny in another situation but here… She would have needed more inappropriate comments from him to distract herself and that strong fear rumbling inside her for far too long. She began to wrap the pieces of fabric around his arm to the elbow, quiet too.

“ Thanks… “, she whispered after a while as she was gently wrapping the fabric around her partner’s hand. “… for saving my life. “

Lucifer looked embarrassed with her thanks, beginning to shrug then quickly stopping his move as the pain hit him again, making him wince. The thanks had always embarrassed him. It was like doing good surprised him, like it was something difficult to accept. Accepting that he could be something else than a monster. He looked away, still embarrassed. Their proximity didn’t seem to help either.

 “ I was just keeping my word, Detective. As I told you, there’s no better hellish bodyguard than the devil himself here. “

The young woman nodded and tightened the knot around his wrist.

“ Yeah, your home couldn’t be _warmer_ than that! “, she said mockingly.

She looked at Lucifer’s face, his body tensing this time for another reason than the pain he could feel. Not that kind of pain, though. Another one. Much deeper. Deeply buried inside him. Chloe could see it through his eyes and this sudden tension. He looked in front of him, his eyes looking something far away from here. Or right here, maybe. The detective looked at him silently, worried about this sudden change of behavior. After a few seconds of heavy silence, Lucifer swallowed, still looking something she couldn’t actually see.

“ This is not my _home_. “, he murmured hoarsely. “ This is… punishment. Prison. “

He seemed to think about something, something overwhelming him deeply. He was showing a sincere confusion. Almost innocent. He let out a trembling exclamation and looked at the detective, still confused.

“ I’m not sure I ever had a home, Detective… “, he told her in a surprised tone.

She just stared at him silently.

What could she say?

Saying something seemed wrong right now. But… They didn’t really have to talk, right? Why expressing with words her sincere compassion for him?

It wasn’t pity. Just concern.

She did care about him and was sorry for what he had been through alone. In this place devoid of real heat. Devoid of this comforting flame that we could find easily in an embrace.

Chloe didn’t stop looking at him, Lucifer not turning away either. She gently squeezed his right hand in hers, telling through this touch more words than she would have tried to do out loud. It had always been like this between them.

This moment seemed last an eternity and stopped as fast as it began. His discomfort quickly got the better of him, her partner removing as quickly his hand from hers and clearing his throat confusingly. He leaned on his valid arm and stood up somehow, Chloe doing the same. She looked around her and towards the dead _Garms_ that had previously attacked them.

A look that brought back in her mind some questions.

“ Why did they attack you? “, Chloe asked blankly, frowning in confusion.

She turned to Lucifer who was dusting the ashes from his clothes and hair with his hand. He stopped his move and lowered his arm, seemingly also confused by her question.

“ I beg your pardon? “

“ You told me they wanted to eat me… not you. “, the detective explained, thinking out loud. “ But-… This _Garm_ had passed me like I didn’t even exist. It doesn’t make sense, don’t you agree?  “

“ I do. “, said Mazikeen’s voice in the mist before them.

She reached them quickly, skillfully turning her silver blades in her hands before putting them in her pockets.

“ You were their Master. Wild hellish beasts or not, they weren’t meant to attack you like this! “, she said with conviction.

She was right. The facts were right there. These Garms hadn’t hesitated to attack the devil. The Lord of Hell. It wasn’t supposed to happen. Even Chloe had understood this.

Something was wrong.

Something that could quickly become problematic. Maybe it already was. Lucifer looked at the creatures lying on the floor, their horrible profiles engulfed by the thick, ashy mist around them. Her partner seemed to turn many things over in his head. He lifted his bandaged hand and stared at his ring, then clenching his fist.

“ No… It can’t be. “, he mumbled, apparently annoyed by something.

“ What are you talking about, Lucifer? “, asked Chloe, puzzled.

“ Something has changed… “, he said, still looking his ring.

A change he didn’t like at all, obviously. He looked quite distraught. Mazikeen sighed noisily, annoyed at not having clear answers to her questions. She stood in front of him, Lucifer having no other choice then to look at her.

“ Explanations ! _Now_ , Lucifer! “

He lowered his arm and sighed. He rubbed the back of his skull, frowning.

“ There might be one. A bloody problematic one. “, he said. “ It’s possible – _possible,_ Maze ! – that my last glowing argument with Alastor had disrupted something inside me. “

“ Your _glowing_ argument? “, repeated the detective. “ What are you talking about? Is this about your _angelic_ powers? Sorry, I don’t know how to name this, actually…”

“ There’s no need to apologize, Detective. “, he reassured her with his usual, charming smile. “ I call it my _Light_ that I had before-… “

“ …- before your fall in Hell. “, Chloe said. “ So, you think that your _Light_ is responsible somehow? “

_Light._

She found that word quite appropriate to describe what she had seen in this old factory that night.

Lucifer was the Light.

She still remembered this unique feeling…heartwarming with a single touch.

So, was it Lucifer’s true nature? Before his Fall from Heaven?

The Angel of Light.

The Morning Star.

A _star_ … Lucifer Morningstar.

Yes, it sounded right to her.

Mazikeen began to tap her foot, crossing her arms on her chest, which was physically expressing her growing irritation.

“ Maybe… ‘ See those odd grooves? “, he said, showing her his hand. “ They appeared right after I woke up in the hospital. “

The two women stepped forward and stared intently at the black stone of the ring scattered with white filaments from the left edge of the stone to its center. Chloe remembered having seen them the night she came in his penthouse, when-…

She blushed slightly as she was thinking about this and she could feel Lucifer’s gaze on her, as blazing as the heat running through her entire embarrassed face. It wasn’t the time for this kind of thoughts. She frowned, intrigued by a detail. It could be insignificant but-… it seemed that these lines were thicker than the last time she had seen them.

“ Something had changed that night. “, her partner kept talking. “ A change of balance between my former _Light_ and-… “

“ …- and your _demonic_ powers. “, continued the demon, lifting her head to stare at her Master.

He nodded. They both seemed tensed like they ever have been before. And the detective still didn’t get why. Why were they looked so serious right now? Why this information was a bad thing? Was it? How, exactly?

“ What does that even mean? “, Chloe asked, more and more puzzled.

Mazikeen sighed and walked away from Lucifer without a word, dismayed. She began to pace not far from the both partners who were looking her in silence, too. Then, Lucifer finally answered her:

“ I really don’t know, Detective. That’s what worries me, actually. But it might explain our turbulent arrival here and their odd behavior. “

Chloe shook her head, totally lost. Lucifer tried to explain to her more clearly what had happened – what had _maybe_ happened:

“ As I’ve already told you, Detective, the Garms only attack human beings and-… “, he began.

“ …- _angels!_ “, she interrupted him. “ You mean they’d have smelled this _Light_ inside you? But-… If they can smell it, then it means th-… “

“ It means we’ll be in deep shit if we don’t get out of here **_right now !_** “, said Mazikeen, turning to them. “ We need to move, Lucifer! The more we stay in Hell, greater is the danger! “

“ As always, Maze, You’re _so good_ to tell me what I already know! “, he teased her, much jollier than before.

Why being in danger seemed always please him?

She wasn’t pleased about this and was agreed with Mazikeen. They had to get out of here quickly. The sooner the better, right? Lucifer put his hands inside his pockets, wincing by doing so.

“ We need to reach the center, Maze. Your amazing sense of smell can lead us there, huh? “, he said calmly.

“ Are you saying that you hid your wings right in the middle of the _Portal of the Damned_? “, she exclaimed.

Lucifer lost his sudden joviality, embarrassed. He was obviously hoping to avoid this part of the talk. A sensitive one.

“ Well… _not exactly_. Shall we go? “, he suggested, pretending to move.

Mazikeen grabbed his left arm, placing herself in front of him to prevent him to leave. He rolled his eyes, annoyed, giving her a dirty look. Mazikeen looked him in the eye, Chloe watching them from where she was. Far from the highly probable collateral damage.

“ Where did you hide them, Lucifer? “, she asked slowly, very slowly.

He freed himself from her strong grip with a sharp move before muttering the long-awaited answer. Or the dreaded one.

“ The _Hinnom’s Valley_. “

Before she could ask any other information about this, Chloe saw Mazikeen punch Lucifer wrathfully in the face. The detective jumped slightly, surprised. A feeling that shared Lucifer. He groaned, placing his hand against his sore red cheek before shooting her a dirty look. The demon glared at him as well. Chloe didn’t know if she should say something to calm them down or let them fight together.

“ **_What the hell was that for ?!_** “, Lucifer exclaimed huffily.

“ Well, I’m really not sure. Maybe for your constant fuck-up, your lack of concern… Or was it for our death penalty?! “, she replied bitterly.

“ _Death penalty_ ? “, Chloe repeated.

Mazikeen didn’t even turn to her, still glaring at her master. She clenched her fists, trembling with rage. Or was it fear?

Mazikeen… _afraid?_

She gave a desperate look to Lucifer.

“ Why? Why _there_ , Lucifer? Do you want to die so quickly or something?! “, almost yelled the demon.

“ After their theft, I wanted to be sure they won’t fall into the wrong hands, all right?! The Hinnom’s Valley seemed pretty discouraging and highly defended for this! I didn’t think I had to get those bloody things back some day! “, he explained himself, raising his voice too.

“ Exactly… You didn’t **_think_**. “, she replied bitterly.

Lucifer remained silent. Mazikeen took her silver blades and briefly closed her eyes, the detective watching her with interest. She wanted to ask her something but her partner lifted his hand, telling her to be quiet. She did so, intrigued by the demon’s behavior who opened her eyes and turned to her right, deliberately avoiding Lucifer’s gaze.

“ This way. Let’s go! “, she told them coldly before starting to walk, her profile quickly vanishing into this constant fog.

Chloe came closer to Lucifer who sighed loudly. He rubbed the back of his neck.

“ So… _The Hinnom’s Valley_ , huh? “, said the detective.

He sighed again, more slowly this time, and lowered his arm. He turned to her, smiling.

“ Would you mind if we talk about this later, Detective ? It’ll become nasty soon enough, so we shouldn’t worry about this right now… What about enjoy the trip and the landscape? “

“ _This_ is not nasty for you already? “, she said, surprised.

“ Of course, not! Everything’s fine, so far! “, sincerely replied Lucifer, a broad smile on his lips.

Chloe shook her head. She clearly didn’t feel the same about their arrival. And Lucifer’s speech didn’t reassure her. She looked the greyish landscape devoid of life.

 _“Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate._ _“,_ she recited wearily.

Lucifer, who had started to follow the demon into the mist, stopped and turned to her, surprised.

“ This quotation isn’t really original but it couldn’t have been more appropriate, Detective. I didn’t know you’ve learned Italian literature! “, he told her, delighted.

She shrugged vaguely and took her gun from her holster.

“ You’re not the only one to have secrets, Lucifer. “, she teased him.

He nodded, looking her intently, which made her blush.

“ Good to know… “, he said, pensive, before walking towards the fog, the detective following him.

Chloe had never particularly liked Dante’s work for many reasons, one of which was boredom. However, the Dante’s quotation seemed quite true to her now. A feeling that would keep growing inside her by spending time in these nightmarish places, according to Lucifer’s speech.

 

_Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here…_

 

**_TBC_ **

**_“ Through the rabbit hole “_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes :
> 
> Thanks for reading this new chapter. Sorry for the possible mistakes, as always.  
> Let a comment if you want, I always like them XD  
> The next chapter will be much longer than the other published so far. I hope you'll like it. 
> 
> Bye bye !


	10. through the rabbit hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long walk through Hell has begun to find the Hinnom’s Valley….to find Lucifer’s wings. The sooner the better. Garms aren’t the only danger of this place, far from it…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes :  
> ______________  
> Hey everyone !   
> Yes, I haven’t finished to translate “ These war and games “ yet. A lot of trouble IRL and exhaustion are responsible. I’m not in the mood to write a lot, too. Sorry for that. I guess it’ll come back very soon. I hope so, anyway!   
> So, I give you another translated chapter. More intense than the previous one (I hope) and longer, too. The next one will be a flashback about Samael’s life.   
> Music advice (Thanks THEJOY69) : The Way – Zack Hemsey  
> Happy reading !

**THROUGH THE RABBIT HOLE**

Chloe gently rubbed her arms, looking at the unusual landscape around her, intrigued.

These polished black cobblestones in which she could perfectly see her reflection. These obsidian columns closely grouped together on both sides of this endless path. A narrowed, disturbing path surrounded by them. She lifted her head, looking with some fascination at the columns rising higher than she could see, their structure vanishing within the ashes of this place.

Was there an end to this?

Everything looked infinite here. Devoid of real restrictions.

An infinite chaos.

_Chaos._

For Chloe, this word sounded both right and wrong. Maybe it was due to its deep meaning. Chaos supposed a lack of order and some tendencies to decline, destruction… The only things she was seeing here were this cobbled path surrounded by dark rocks. It was a disconcerting landscape but not as chaotic as she might have thought. She had to admit it, Hell didn’t look like what she had imagined. Like what the Mankind had imagined so far. It showed them how much they were all wrong about this place.

The detective was firstly surprised that it wasn’t hotter than that.

When you thought of Hell, you thought of flames, fierce furnaces and so forth, right?

Yet, Chloe found the air of this cobbled area quite gloomy. A rough cold tickled the inside of her flesh and bones for a long time ; like icy, painful needles. Everything was _cold_. Lifeless. She almost missed the _Garms_ and the vast space near the Gates, this narrow path increasing her claustrophobia. She squeezed her fingers around her arms, trying with this embrace to stop this emerging fear inside her.

Chloe stopped staring at the disturbing columns to look in front of her. Looking at Lucifer. He was leading the march, walking with a sustained pace despite his wounds, probably as eagerly as she and Mazikeen to leave this place. Maybe much more than her. She was beginning to understand some things about him. And finding out others as they were gaining ground in Hell. It was like a doorway leading to his past. A fleeting and painful vision of his life here. 

How could we sentence his child to endlessly rule Hell?

Hell she had never imagined like this, once again. Not so dark and freezing, at least. Nor so silent. The mankind had, for thousands of years, spread a vision totally opposed to the reality. There was no wells or walls of flames where would be burned until the end of time each vile and corrupt soul having one day lived on Earth. There was no ocean of burned and tortured flesh, nor horrible screams begging for mercy.

Not a single scream. Not a sound.

Just this horrible silence. This disconcerting _peace_ interrupted by freezing blasts of air.

A blast of air that petrified every inch of her body, barely touching the skin of her neck. Chloe shivered again with this unpleasant touch, gently rubbing her palms against her sleeves to remove this sensation. The breeze ran along her ear, brushing its inside. A silent touch turning briefly into a whisper. An almost inaudible whisper that quickly grew in her mind. An imploring expressed in this blast of air with an unsuspected strength.

_“ Giv **E** me **M** y d **A** ug **T** her b **A** ck… m **Y** da **U** gther… ple **A** se… “_

It turned Chloe’s blood to ice, her heart missing a beat when she heard this begging. She slowed her pace, watching out for any strange movement near her.

There wasn’t something really _normal_ here, anyway…

She stared apprehensively at the stones on her right, where this strange blast of air had given way to this week imploring. Weak and still resounding in her mind. Branded by this desperate request. The huge columns only sent her back her reflection, the reflection of her fear.

“ You can hear them, can’t you? “

Chloe jumped slightly, cursing herself immediately for being so nervous, before turning to Mazikeen. The demon, who was closing their infernal walk until now, caught up with her quickly. They walked together, Chloe tensing once more by hearing another unintelligible murmur, a kind of deep voice this time.

“ What is this? “, she couldn’t help but asking when she heard this second terrifying begging.

The demon didn’t answer her immediately, stopping near a big black column, Chloe staying by her side as Lucifer kept walking. She watched Mazikeen lift one of her knives and stroke the obsidian with its tip. The center of this brief touch caused a slight _simmering,_ like a pebble thrown into a pond. A silent echo inside the dark stone. This simmering grew, its curves making bigger and touching the ends of the other columns on both sides. Sharing its echo to them and then to the next one until the detective can’t see the phenomenon anymore. It kept spreading upright, too.

Chloe came closer, curious.

The spot where the blade had touched the rock seemed less dark. And it was… _moving_ somehow. A movement inside the obsidian itself. She approached again, almost touching the demon’s back, staring surprisingly at this unusual move. Unusual and strangely captivating to look.

It looked like a _shadow_.

A gray shadow inside the dark column, moving imperceptibly and yet not getting anywhere.

Mazikeen put her knife in her pocket, also looking at the ghost-like shadow struggling inside the rock.

“ That’s what remains from corrupt souls. “, she explained.

“ You mean that the columns are-… ? “, began Chloe, questioning.

The demon nodded, stroking the column with her right hand this time. An almost _loving_ touch. The shadow writhed with this contact, rippling more vividly on both sides of her friend’s palm.

“ Torturing a human soul is a long and fantastic process. The goal is not just to punish their acts by using their deeper darkest desires against them. It’s… much more deeper than that. These torments also take their _energy_. Slowly and over thousands of years. After that, there’s not much left of the original soul sent down here ; just an extremely weak essence that becomes these obsidians. “, said Mazikeen. “ That’s why they are so big and so many… Each essence is placed on top of the previous ones, mingling with the rest. It’s the very last torment in Hell. And probably the most cruel…Because they’re forced to endlessly endure their first torture as well as that of the other souls, without being able to remember why they’re here or what they could have been before that… _Human beings_. “

Mazikeen smiled at the sight of these tortured souls, stroking a shadow smaller than the others with her thumb, which seemed to retreat into the stone under her touch.

Chloe wasn’t really sure if she was more comforted or frightened by this place with her speech. Fear seemed more appropriate. She shivered from head to toe, hardly swallowing. If she had had a few doubts about the infernal side of this place, they were now totally gone from her mind.

This Hell was as horrible as her previous interpretation. It even exceeded her nightmarish expectations. Just like her interpretation of the Eternal Damnation. Being totally _sucked_ like this…

Much better!

“ _Right…_ You know, you really should come to the precinct from time to time. You’d be great to teach _good_ to criminals! Your explanation has a chilling effect, I can assure you! “, the detective told her, feigning to be nonchalant.

Mazikeen finally lowered her hand and turned to her, exclaiming:

“ Don’t be silly, Decker! Why would I reduce the group of souls I could torture here? _Demon_ , remember? “

She gave her a knowing smile, Chloe also smiling even if hers was probably more tensed than she would have liked. Mazikeen passed the detective and tried to bridge the gap between her and her master, Chloe bringing up the rear. She, however, slowed down after a time, something drawing her attention.

A movement on her left.

She slowly approached a big column, squinting. A shadow – almost looking like the other she had seen earlier – was rippling inside it. It was certainly similar to all the others, but something totally got her attention ; she couldn’t said why.

Its shape, maybe.

A kind of hazy cloud whose ends were very thin filaments, vanishing almost immediately inside the dark rock. Its shape reminded her of a human body. Like a child. This vision disturbed the young woman who kept coming closer to the column, leaning gently towards it. Its human shape fading rather quickly in favor of another shapeless, greyish form. Chloe approached her face from the stone, leaving just a few inches between them.

A weak begging resounded near her ear.

Not a word. More like sobs from a scared child, deadened by the column.

Slowly and still not knowing why, Chloe lifted her hand.

A voice screamed in her mind, urging her to step back and walk away. Telling her not to touch this rock and this shadow with childish shape. It was muffled by those heartbreaking sobs, anyway. Chloe would have liked to step back, but she couldn’t.

Or didn’t want to.

She didn’t know.

The only thing she knew was that it was essential to touch that shadow. She felt a strong desire to stroke it with her fingertips.

What was wrong with touching this form?

It was just a touch.

Just… a t-…

A firm hand gripped her wrist and stopped her gesture only a few millimeters from the stone. Chloe turned to Mazikeen, confused.

“ Do **_not_** touch these columns, Decker. “, she warned her while pulling the detective’s hand from the previously captivating shadow.

The young woman straightened up while stepping back in the middle of the cobbled path, rubbing her aching wrist. She didn’t understand what had urged her to approach this column in particular, or why she had tried to touch it. This touch had seemed so essential to her. More important than her own life.

And now… She was feeling _dazed_.

“ Why? “, she asked, puzzled.

Mazikeen glared at the greyish shadow which was moving fiercely inside the dark stone, retreating as far as possible from the demon. It looked like a furious, wild beast that hadn’t had what it wanted, struggling fiercely inside its narrow cage.

“ You’re human. With flesh and blood. You’re the perfect vessel to escape from this place, so… Let’s try to avoid that, okay? “

“  ‘Got it… “, Chloe hastily answered, disturbed.

She moved away from the columns, following the demon closely, almost touching her shoulder. Mazikeen didn’t take offense at her sudden proximity, keeping walking along the path. The silence came back, only disturbed by the freezing blasts of air.

The black columns around them now were different from the others.

Thinner with larger empty space between them sometimes. Some of them weren’t straight and strong. They looked like big dark stalagmites rising their sharp tip in the greyish skies with variable inclinations. Like black and scary fangs shading the disconcerting dimness of the ashy mist. The stone was cracked in many places, showing a lot of fissures along their surface.

Chloe restrained herself from grabbing Mazikeen’s arm by feeling a heavy anxiety inside her. It would be ridiculous.

Understandable, but ridiculous.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly while still walking alongside the demon. She stopped staring at the nightmarish landscape to look at her partner.

Each look in his direction immediately appeased her fears. It didn’t stop them entirely, but-… appeasing them ; that was already a good thing. She gazed at his back, his white shirt suggesting a perfect, brawny body under it.

A much more pleasant vision, according to her.

Pleasant and also raising many questions in her mind.

Questions about Lucifer. Before his Fall. Before that endless chaos to which his family had condemned him. Was his fault so horrible and unforgivable for them? Was it deserve such punishment? Since she had met him, since she knew the truth, Chloe didn’t know what to think about this. The mankind always had its own interpretation of the _original sin_.

Satan.

The manipulative, liar snake hidden in the tree.

The angel jealous of God and humans, yearning to reach the Divine with his tricks.

But after having been with Lucifer, she was seriously beginning to question everything too. Not questioning Lucifer.

Quite the reverse, actually.

She was rather questioning the spiritual founding principles of mankind. She couldn’t imagine Lucifer like a tempting angel. Well… doing what he liked without thinking about the consequences was more accurate. On the other hand, her partner hadn’t talked about this with her so far. He never lied but didn’t always saying the whole truth either.

Maybe it was too painful to tell, to think of his former life?

Chloe, still following Lucifer, tried to imagine him before his Fall in Hell. Was he different now? If so, how was he so different?

She couldn’t imagine a purer and more naïve version of him. She thought over this angelic apparition in the old factory. It had looked like a glimpse of his extraordinary powers and not his personality.

“ How was Lucifer here? “, she asked to Mazikeen, making sure he couldn’t hear their talk from where he was.

“ What are you talking about ? “

“ Was he different from the man he’s now with me ? Is he even different from the angel he had been before all this? “

Mazikeen stared back at her master in front of her, seeming to deeply think about this. Chloe kept walking beside her, waiting patiently for an answer. The demon sighed slightly before saying:

“ I don’t know how was Lucifer before his Fall, he’s never talk about this; not with me, at least. Not once since I’ve been by his side and watched his back. I guess he didn’t see the point to talk about his past or even show what he could feel with a demon being ignorant of this kind of things. A demon that couldn’t understand. I was born in Hell, unlike him. I only know cruelty, desire for eons. But as for him… “

She stopped talking for a moment, scrutinizing Lucifer’s profile more intensely. The detective was curious to know what could cross her mind right now but she remained silent, too.

“ Lucifer is so much more than all this. “, the demon continued, showing the chaotic landscape around them. “ Much more terrifying than what you could have met here. That’s how he’d always been to me. “

Much more terrifying.

Chloe could easily believe this but wasn’t totally agree. Lucifer knew how to be cruel; but only with vile human beings who deserved this in spades. It was never wanton. He never felt real satisfaction by acting so. He feigned it, however. But she had never been by his show. Being cruel with others didn’t sound like Lucifer. Not like the one she had right in front of her.

No.

“ Do you find him different now? “, she asked then.

Once again, Mazikeen didn’t answer right away, lost in thought. She finally shrugged, stroking with her nails an obsidian on her right which subtly rippled with this demonic touch.

“ Yes… and no. “ , she said evasively.

“ _Yes and no_ ? “, repeated the detective, puzzled and slightly annoyed.

Her friend shrugged again nonchalantly.

“ He can be as merciless and cruel as he was at the time of the Great War, but-… I have to admit that something has changed since our arrival on Earth. Since he met you. It’s like he was finally… _him_. “, continued the demon, pensive.

“ How’s that? “

“ I don’t know. I think he has always played some kind of role his whole life. Satan, the Fallen Angel, the Prince of Darkness… But, for some time, he looked more _real_. The real Lucifer. You know what I mean? “, she asked her.

Chloe nodded, scrutinizing her partner again.

Yes, she knew what she meant. He had told her… that night.

_“ Whatever you do, anything… wherever you go ; you’re just this role and nothing else in the eyes of the world. “_

A role.

Lucifer had played a role since the beginnings of his existence.

The obedient angel ; who he had tried to be, at least. The Hellish Monster. And, finally… A playboy enjoying various activities and pleasures. Behind all these false roles, she was able to see the only thing that really mattered.

His own personality.

Not the one given by this place or God. Only him. _Lucifer Morningstar._

Arrogant, bad-tempered, unpredictable, playing fast and loose with absolutely everything… And also alone. Vulnerable. Hurt by all these betrayals.

She didn’t need to know his past or the angel he might have been billions of years ago.

Who cared?

She wasn’t in love with this obedient angel but rather with the rebellious one in front of her.

The rebellious angel suddenly began to walk faster, forcing the two women to do the same. He almost ran to a stone bigger than the others ; a huge stalagmite of the width of several meters. The detective’s mind was obviously playing tricks to her because the stone seemed much darker than the previous ones.

And much more troubling, too. 

A shiver ran along her spine while she was staring at this… _thing_. The path was separated in two directions around it, giving the same way with scattered obsidians all along. The stalagmite hadn’t stony neighbors nearby. The columns and other stalagmites – smaller than this one - only appeared at a distance of three meters from the huge stone. The fissures on it were deeper, looking like blood-red filaments throbbing inside the stalagmite and mixing with its dark shade.

 It looked like it had _blood vessels._

She didn’t know why, but her whole body was telling her – rather screaming, actually – to turn around as quickly as possible. Chloe hesitated to follow her instinct, knowing that she was constantly struggling against it since she had come here.

Lucifer moved quickly to the stone with blood-red shapes, stroking it with his hand. He moved his palm a little lower, looking for something in particular. The detective came closer but stopped at a reasonable distance from him and that odd black stone, feeling really uncomfortable near it. Her partner stopped his hand right in the middle of the stalagmite. He came closer – Chloe’s intrigued look following his gestures – and stroked a tiny recess she hadn’t notice before. It was square and extremely small, maybe one centimeter. Lucifer ran his fingers over it before turning to the detective and his demonic sidekick.

“ I’ve found the rabbit hole! “, he exclaimed.

_Rabbit hole ?_

What hole ? Was it the entrance of that valley ?

Before she could even ask him what he was talking about, Mazikeen let out a disdainful exclamation and crossed her arms on her chest.

“ Goody… “, she muttered, walking towards her master. “ Too bad there’s no white rabbit inside, isn’t it? “

Lucifer smirked  while replying joyfully – which was odd given their situation :

“ You can’t know that, Mazie! “

“ Exactly! I _can’t_ and you know why? “, she asked him, facing him near the stone.

He leaned against the stalagmite and rolled his eyes, sighing with exasperation.

“ I don’t but you won’t keep this information for yourself, will you? Please, do not give in to temptation this time! “, he teased her, annoyed.

The detective stayed where she was, unwilling to take part in this argument. Better to just listen to them this time and wait.

“ **_Because I’ve never been there!_** “, spat the demon, on edge. “ So do you! You can’t be sure to find your wings before they-…! “

_They?_

Who were _they_ ?

Lucifer’s body tensed instantly, a glint of rage crossing his gaze, interrupting her sharply:

“  You’re right, my dear Maze. But I **_am_** the Devil. I know every single nook of this world without having to go physically there, so I perfectly know where my bloody wings are right now and how to take them back! We can’t say the same for you, can we? “

“ Do you actually know how **_not_** to get us whacked ?! That would be really useful, too! “, she replied.

He sighed loudly before mumbling with a feigned dismay:

“ I knew I’ve forgotten something… “

Mazikeen sighed loudly in turn, greatly annoyed by his indifference. Chloe took advantage of this short break in their argument to question her partner, pointing to the big stalagmite:

“ What’s this? “

He turned to it, gently stroking it and the strange crack in the middle.

“ _This_ , Detective, is the door of the _Hinnom’s Valley_. That’s where my dear wings are and that’s the only thing that truly matters right now! “, he said, glaring at the demon.

“ What’s really mattered is what’s waiting for us behind, Lucifer! “, she told him. “ They’ve been trapped there for millennia, you can’t believe th-…! “

Lucifer interrupted her with a sharp tone again, still looking at the recess.

“ We’ll deal with this later, Mazie. “

She tried once more to express her fear and disagreement about this, opening her mouth. Lucifer clenched his fist against the stalagmite, turning to her and looking daggers at her. This gaze stopped immediately the demon’s words in her mouth who scrutinized her master’s face with apprehension. From where she was standing, the detective couldn’t totally see Lucifer’s eyes and face. Only his profile. However, she was able to guess this threatening gleam reflecting in his dark eyes. Her partner’s jaw was tensed while he said very slowly with a tone that didn’t allow any questioning:

“ _Later,_ Mazikeen. “

She stared at him for a moment, feeling both fear about this place and the devil in front of her. She finally gave in, stepping back and cursing her master vehemently. Chloe tried once again to question her partner:

“ So, how do we do to go inside this… valley? “

“ Well, we just need to place my ring in this tiny recess and the door should appear. “, Lucifer said vaguely without turning to her.

With these words, her partner slowly lifted his wounded hand, clenching it as he approached the black ring towards the uncommon _keyhole_. The ring lodged itself perfectly in the recess, a strong thwack resounding around them. A simmering throbbed around the jewel, the blood-red cracks throbbing with the same intensity. Lucifer winced with the power touching his wounded hand. A strange rumble raised all around them, the ground trembling under their feet.

Chloe almost lost her balance and looked at Mazikeen who tried to stay upright too.

The rumble quickly turned into a shrill squealing as the simmering also increased on the stone, which began to become totally blood red under her partner’s hand. Lucifer seemed to use all his strength to keep this touch between his ring and the stalagmite, tensing each of his muscles so as not to give out under this wrenching power.

Chloe couldn’t move, wincing while she heard this piercing sound in the air. She placed her hands against her ears and curled up on herself.

And that is when…

… the silence came.

The earthquake stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Just like this horrible sound. The detective straightened up, panting and looking around her.

_What the hell was going on ?_

She looked at Mazikeen and Lucifer, worried. The demon was trying to get back on her feet while her partner seemed still stuck to the stone. Chloe began to make one step towards him but was immediately stopped. The stone around his ring became more red than before, almost glowing like fierce fire and blinding the detective before splitting in two – and all along its length – the dark stalagmite with a blood red beam. It touched the ground before the stone, causing a strong shock wave.

Chloe tumbled forward. She vaguely heard Lucifer screaming, his cry swallowed by another piercing sound quickly turning into a terrifying rumble again. The young woman leaned on her forearms, staring at the huge door now appearing inside the stalagmite. The beam became wider, opening thus the two big panels from the stone.

The Gate of the Valley was finally open.

Chloe stopped looking at the Gate, feeling an odd warm touch along her left leg. She winced and looked behind her, confused. She saw an horrible slimy limb wrapped around her jeans, her skin quickly beginning to burn under it.

_“ What the h-…?! “_

The detective noticed another movement near her. While shaking her leg to free it from this thing, she took a look.

The stalagmites and other columns were… _melting_. Like really melting.

They were turning into some tar-like, disgusting bodies on the ground. Two empty holes replaced the eyes, their skin was this sticky black material regularly dripping on the path. Each stalagmite and column around her was turning into this creepy thing.

And it was heading to Chloe.

She let out a cry of pain as the burning sensation on her left leg increased. She took her gun and shoot on this dark material. The bullets plunged easily inside it, swallowed and mixed with the material. The detective looked around her, freaking out.

Hundreds…No. _Thousands_ of black shadows were dangerously coming closer to her.

She was trapped.

She couldn’t see Mazikeen or Lucifer from where she was, these things completely surrounding her. The shadow around her leg turned into a human face. It looked like an ugly Italian mask. She gave an horrified look to this human head that was smiling at her. Chloe heard a whisper that turned her blood to ice.

_“ Mom **M** y… “_

The detective screamed, shaking her leg more vehemently to remove that face from it. It was useless. The rest of this tar-like material kept coming closer to her, whispering as well. Then, these whispers turned into horrible screams near her.

_“… i **L** l her…the m **O** n **E** y… “_

_“ I wa **N** t to g **O** ho **M** e…I’m in **N** oc **E** nt ! “_

_“ I had t **O** kill h **E** r… I h **A** d to… “_

_“ Forg **I** ve me ! Do **N** ’t hu **R** t me, plea **S** e… “_

_“ Mom **M** y ! “_

Chloe screamed again, both with the pain inside her limb than the fear that was gripping every part of her body. Every cry and begging painfully resounded in her mind as the other slimy souls advanced towards her. She shut her eyes, tears beginning to appear as she pressed her palms against her ears.

She screamed as loudly as she could, totally trapped by the fear and these horrible things:

**_“ Lucifeeeeeeeer ! “_ **

She didn’t want to die here.

Not here. Not like this. She shouldn’t die here.

A soft and yet incredibly devastating light stroked her eyelids. The pain in her leg and the whispers ceased instantly, the young woman panting with relief.

She knew that light.

_His_ Light.

Lucifer.

She opened her eyes, the light intensified noticeably around her as she tried to find her partner. She  could see the black shadows withdraw, eager to taste this pure brightness they couldn’t even tolerate. Her left leg was healed with some snags in her jeans which let see the detective’s unwounded skin. The light increased in power, strongly vibrating around her, everywhere. A blazing blast of air brushed her face and the many ashes covering the ground, blinding her for a moment and she placed her arm in front of her eyes.

Then, she lowered it, looking ahead, stunned.

Lucifer was literally radiating divine light. 

A powerful and yet a quite different light than the last time. The first time she had seen this, he looked like _someone else_. The merciless angel he may once have been. Before his Fall.

Right now… It was just Lucifer. Her partner.

A strong glowing light surrounded his body, touching each of his muscles as he was springing out some pure energy from his ring. Chloe couldn’t see his face ; her partner was facing these horrible creatures, protecting her with his body. She gasped in surprised and shock. A kind of dome of pure light separated them from the shadows, created by Lucifer.

To protect her.

He tensed his muscles, his palms against this odd dome while the stone of his ring was also radiating divine light. The souls – previously frightened of this destructive and impassable barrier – began to move towards it, banging against it with rage. Lucifer winced, tensing with this assault and pressing his hands more firmly against this dome. He turned to Chloe who looked at him. She could see strong resolution in his eyes.

Then he stopped looking her to stare at a spot behind her.

She followed his gaze, jumping again with each strong noisy assault of the creatures.

The Gate of the Valley was clear, showing this big blood-red space inside it. It more looked like a kind of portal than a real gate.

The detective turned to Lucifer, figuring out what he was planning to do. They shared another look as the divine wall was beginning to crack under each new demonic assaults.

**_“ Go ! “,_** he screamed her.

Chloe got back on her feet, stumbling a few times. She looked at her partner one last time as a huge crack appeared over the dome. Clenching her fists, she screamed at him beyond the powerful rumble around them:

**_“ If you’re not running right behind me, I swear I’ll shoot you ! “_ **

She rushed towards the Gate, running as fast as she could. She heard another crack, seeing the glowing material all around her becoming fissured as she was filling the distance between her and the entrance of the _Hinnom’s Valley_.

She didn’t look behind her.

She wouldn’t. It would mean not trusting him.

He could make it. He was the devil, right?

She had to trust him.

She saw Mazikeen cross the Gate and sped up. The ground trembled under her feet and she felt several times. She stoop up as fast as she could, panting, her shoes sliding on the ashes.

Unhesitating, the detective ran to the Gate. A strong blast of divine light brushed her shoulders as she was plunging headfirst into the scarlet opening.

Plunging headfirst through the rabbit hole.

 

****

**_TBC with: “ Have a quick chat with God “_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes :   
> _______________  
> I hope I have some inspiration again. And that this new chapter pleased you.   
> Let a comment as always. ;)  
> Until next time !


	11. Have a quick chat with God

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes :   
> \---------------  
> Here is the new translated chapter; a flashback about Samael, of course. I wrote the 20th chapter of this story in French yesterday and I wanted to celebrate this (it’s the middle of the story, after all!) by giving you another translated chapter with this one.   
> Wanna know which one?   
> The sequel of “What the Devil needs”. Happy? ^^ The prolog of “In a new Light” is then available, too. Don’t forget to take a look!   
> Happy reading for both!

**HAVE A QUICK CHAT WITH GOD**

 

The air was whistling all around him, following the strong movements of his wings, obeying to them.

Samael could feel the wind brush his face and ruffle his hair as he was rising in the heavens, his wings gracefully fluttering the air around. He closed his eyes briefly, enjoying the fresh, bracing touch of the wind against his skin and his feathery appendages.

He loved flying, probably more than anyone.

His brothers and sisters only saw in this activity a means of getting around somehow. It was just practical and useful. They couldn’t or didn’t want to see the real pleasure behind the basic gesture. This pleasure radiating inside Samael with each strong movement of his wings, with each caress of the wind that instinctively answered to them.

 A silent talk between these two entities. A perfect harmony between him and the sky. Between him and his wings.

When he wasn’t on Earth, he was in the skies; dancing and winding on the celestial borders of heavens. Slowly sometimes, with an electrifying speed sometimes; the clouds vanishing in a blast of air in his trail.

Samael didn’t love flying. He _needed_ this. More than anything else.

The simple thought of no longer flying, no longer touching each celestial cloud with his fingers made him feel sick. Fly; mixing with this astral landscape, was essential to him.

He had a faint smile by feeling the gentle touch of the wind along his feathers, slightly tickling them at their ends; a delightful sensation spreading inside his shoulders and body. He opened his eyes and looked the sun slowly declining on the horizon, flooding the skies and the Garden with its yellow shades. The clouds gradually became more colorful than their previous insipid hue. They looked like pale-lilac, yellow clouds all around him.

The young archangel briefly stopped his dazzling flight in the heavens which were darkening pretty fast now, his wings fluttering vigorously to stay stable at this vertiginous height. He stared intently at the unclear shapes at the Garden, looking at the huge Tree of Knowledge that proudly stood in its center. This tree with hundreds of golden foliage and red fruits.

With one missing fruit.

The most important fruit that started a real change. A good one. Maybe disastrous in a way, but an essential change.

It was fair.

He’d done the right thing. He knew it deep inside him.

And yet…

Samael gulped, still looking with his dark eyes at this _determining_ tree. Looking at her. At their future, the consequences of this act.

An act of rebellion.

They surely would see it like this. What wasn’t strict and oh so amazing **F** ather’s orders would be rejected by his family. It looked like _treason_. His brothers and sisters were far too narrow-minded and far too craven to see beyond that.

Not all of them, but most of them anyway. Michael, above all.

Samael hadn’t thought before and think was probably useless. He had acted instinctively.

By choice.

So had she.

He had let his heart, his soul, his conviction speak. Wasn’t it the opposite of an act of rebellion?

Wasn’t it an _act of faith_?

The importance and interpretation – justified or not – that they would give to his decision would only depend on **H** im. They would listen to **H** im, as always. They would obey **H** im unquestioningly, _as always._

He wasn’t afraid of them. Even less of **H** im. He only feared what they would do to her if the worst might happen.

Eve.

She was meant to live only to obey **H** im, just like everyone else. Being used to fulfill **H** is goals, whatever they could be. She was just a weak creature that could be so easily annihilated by his peers. But she was so much more to him.

He had to make **H** im understand this. Make **H** im see the truth that **H** e was trying so much to avoid. But… Would **H** e even listen to him? Or would **H** e just destroy everything to all starting over again?

Samael had no certainties and that was the problem.

He sighed, feeling already exhausted by all the problems that he was going to face to keep her safe. For opening his family’s eyes to the truth. He had to find the perfect timing, the perfect manner to talk about this.

The air cooled off rather quickly as the last rays vanished from the sky to give way to the softer radiance of the stars. The gradual transformation of the sky reminded him how long he had been gone; he just realized that now.

Samael moved his wings, rising again in the starry flock. He stopped then abruptly, worried. He had been so busy with these last events that he had neglected – willingly or not – his other divine obligations. One of them, it was rather an appointment than a real mission, suddenly came back to his mind. Samael tensed with apprehension.

 Why did he have to forget _this_ ?

The young archangel rolled his eyes, sighing heavily for his own stupidity and the troubles that would surely come with it.

She was going to kill him.

Literally speaking.  

 

 

**-xXx-**

 

Samael increased his speed with his wings, flying towards the gigantic heights of skies, which couldn’t be reach by any other living creature. Not even these odd feathery things created by **T** he **O** ld **M** an.

How did **H** e call them? _Birds_ or something?

The cool wind was loudly whistling to his ears, ruffling his hair a lot and his sides as strongly. The freezing cold of the heavens was stinging his skin, the angel shivering slightly at its touch as he rose further towards firmament. He saw far away a big cloudy lump dimly lit by the stars and seeming much thicker than its neighbors. Its size was unique, without any equal rival around, almost overlooking the heavens.

Samael flew faster, the other small clouds quickly disappearing into thin air near him. He approached the big cloud, slowing the hitherto strong movements of his white wings. The cloud uttered a muffled rumble at his arrival.

It didn’t worry him, though.

He watched from his position the cloud turning shape. A slow and gradual transformation that became faster afterwards as he came closer to it. Its steamy shapes turned into a strong structure with the same hue, which changed with the night and the glowing stars. Each vaporous and dense end quickly faded and became huge columns with curlicues. The glittering white frontages beautified by golden or silver engravings appeared in turn from this big cloudy lump.

Samael came closer to the Silver City, which was gradually rising in the middle of the skies.

The city _was_ the cloud.

A cloud only showing its true nature to its inhabitants. The city was now resting on a rough material. It looked like precious but quite resistant, too. He thought it was called _rough diamond_ , its steep rims looking like a sharp mountain pointing to the Garden further down. It was as huge and stunning than the structure above it. Thin coils of smoke were brushing the walls and pillars.

The archangel landed gracefully on the marbled and cold threshold which was surrounded on both sides by a thin crystalline railing of up to his hips, the coils of smoke gently twirling around him. He instinctively fluttered his wings in his back. Two sentries - who were proudly guarding the huge silver door beautified by various thin symbols and runes – glared at him contemptuously as he walked towards them, his glowing wings ruffling the ground with each of his steps.

He sneered while noticing their hateful looks towards him.

Besides his family; every soldier, every celestial messenger or insignificant cherub constantly gave him this kind of look; this clear disapproval for his actions and behavior.

He was the outcast. The young rebel. The agitator.

All of them knew him and his definite refusal to follow divine orders. Refusing the Power of the **M** ost- **H** igh on him. They thought he didn’t care, that’s all. But they were all wrong, as always. Samael didn’t act like this just out of bravado, although dispute his **F** ather was quite enjoyable. It was simply stupid to blindly follow **H** is orders without once questioning **H** is plans.

Why was everyone else taking this for a horrible infamy? Was he the only one to be of sound mind here?

The young archangel walked quietly to the main entrance of the city, the two guards still glaring at him as he was approaching them and the Gate, their hands clenching on the handle of their golden spears. He passed them and stood in front of the entrance, patiently waiting for it to open and let him pass. The glyphs and other symbols dug in the material of the door pulsated and gradually lighted up. It was a soft glow. _His_ own glow being absorbed by the main door, which filled every symbols and glyphs on it; turning the colorless door into a blazing wall in the dark. Samael watched the glow intensify before reduce gradually and then disappear. Another rumble disturbed the surrounding silence as the Gate slowly opened before him, the plumes of smoke twirling quickly with the strong blast of air coming from the inside and also ruffling his wings.

He entered without looking again behind him.

**-xXx-**

 

Samael stopped in one of the many corridors of the city, unwilling to advance further.

He watched the crystal door – which was embellished with sketches of white lilies - with apprehension. He couldn’t retrace his steps. He was late, so _late_. That would make things way worst. Not coming at all would be _disastrous_. She would make him pay for a **_very_** long time. And she was the only one in his whole family to make him fear such consequences. He swallowed, a strong knot suddenly obstructing his throat as he touched the crystalline door. It quivered gently and the material vanished into a flowered white smoke all around him. He lowered his hand, carefully entering inside the room, keeping posted. Now that he was inside, the door reappeared behind him, as strong and crystalline than before and preventing him to flee.

Samael took a deep breath, gathering his courage, and walked further into the huge room. He looked around him, suspicious of not seeing anyone here.

That was _strange_.

She should have been here. It couldn’t be otherwise.

He stared at the end of the room which was more than huge. As huge as the rest of this place. Everything here was big, pedantic, excessive and terribly _bright_. Each of his careful steps resounded noisily against the sparkling floor which was showing him a perfect reflection of his tensed features. The pearly white pillars were standing at the four ends of the room and meeting right in the middle of the ceiling as white and bright, holding together the walls with a beautiful marbled keystone. Which was overhanging by a big crystal. A crystal-clear star spreading its sharp and yet so thin ends in the center of the ceiling, easily taking the light outside the city inside it. It took the Sun’s light and the light of the stars. Using thereby all kind of lights time after time to light up the entire sparkling Silver City. It was a soft light now. As soft as the wind that ruffled his left side. The young archangel looked absent-mindedly the open window, its borders covered with discreet, golden flowery arabesques.

He stopped walking, looking again all around him without seeing anyone else. Samael sighed, puzzled.

It couldn’t be that late, could it?

He felt a slight move above him, which was quickly followed by a threatening shadow darkening the ground around. He didn’t even waste time by study the situation. He followed his gut, spreading his wings and shifting rapidly, moving thus a few meters away from this unknown threat in a second. A spear cut the air and shattered the marbled floor at the exact spot where he was standing a moment ago, which became fissured to his feet. A spear whose the shiny black wooden handle was held by two fine hands hiding an unsuspected strength. Which had so easily smashed the floor of the room over several meters.

Samael gulped, briefly staring at the curved blade – which had silver-colored sparkles with really sharp edges – firmly stuck in the marble before looking worryingly to his older sister.

He straightened up, pretending not to be impressed, as she was doing the same.

“ Well, I missed you, too… _Gabrielle !_ “

 

**-xXx-**

 Gabrielle didn’t answer him right away, staring with her golden eyes at her little rebel brother.

Who was late.

_Terribly_ late.

He stayed where he was, cautious. He knew enough her strength and temper not to come nearer than that. Not until she openly starts the fight.

Or… not. 

He wished she didn’t try, but he wasn’t that stupid to hope this. Samael scrutinized her in detail while waiting for her next move.

According to him, Gabrielle was indisputably his most beautiful sister. It had nothing to do with her features, although these were perfect; it was all about her _simplicity_. She had no pride about it, unlike the others. His other sisters saw their beauty as something logical considering their celestial powers and responsibilities.

For Gabrielle, it was a gift to respect.

He watched her thin face, her delicate porcelain skin, her high cheekbones and her slightly marked hairline which intensified this particular glow in her golden eyes. Her long red hair ruffled her hips, summarily tied in a disheveled braid, fire-colored locks surrounding her pure face. She was slim, hiding deep inside her this power. She was wearing a dark top with a high collar that let him see her chest, though. The fabric of the top was beautified by flowery lighter sketches. It looked like a second skin, glorifying Gabrielle’s beauty. Her arms were stripped, metallic black bracers protecting her forearms and partially covering her hands in their middle. Her long black shirt slit at the left hip was showing her bare legs, her feet put on dark gladiator sandals as high as her thighs.

Simplicity and strength together in one single person.

His sister. Gabrielle. **F** ather’s soldier.

No.

She was so much more than that.

She was outshining them all with her style of combat. She was their mentor. That was her mission.

Gabrielle.

_“ God is my strength. ”_

The reverse would have been more fair to her, according to him. _She_ was **H** is strength.

His older sister smiled at him slightly before putting off the blade of her favorite weapon from the floor. Once the silver blade had been removed, the crack instantly decreased, a translucent mist emerging from it. It ruffled the damaged area and efficiently remove any traces on the ground. This apparently common phenomenon had always intrigued him. He had tried to smash some parts of the celestial palace when he was younger. But, whatever he had done, and whatever the strength or the weapon used, each damage had been also instantly replaced by another perfect structure.

An endless circle of _perfection_. Endlessly irritating.

Gabrielle twirled the handle of her spear around, the blade ripped through the air with a repetitive whistling. Samael, who had landed near the window, leaned against the pillar, pretending not to be surprised by this attack. He was on edge, anyway. She seemed calm, of course, but it didn’t mean he was out of the woods. Not with her.

 He was going to be in for a rough time, for sure.

His sister stopped playing with her weapon, twirling it around one last time skillfully before ruffling the floor of the handle, spreading her wings in her back. Gabrielle’s wings were very different from his. Less big, but finer. Fine and strong. The feathers were several inches longer than his; some golden, others as white as the clouds in the skies. A more shy, softer white hue.

“ You’re late. “

“ I’m always busy doing the opposite of what others expect, Gabe, it’s like a compulsive need! “, he replied.

Gabrielle’s smile widened. She mechanically stroke the black wood of her spear with her thumb. She remained silent for a few seconds, staring at him with her piercing eyes. Whose seemed easily able to see beyond his indifferent features.

She was the only one who can do this. She was the only one to take the time to see beyond it, to try to _understand_ him.

She pinched her lips, pensive and then asked him blankly in her gentle voice:

“ What have you done this time? “

He pretended not to understand, frowning as he straightened up.

“ I’ve done _so many_ things! I’m not sure you really want to know what exactly, sis’! “, he taunted her carefully.

She didn’t look surprised or angry with his evasive reply. She simply nodded, a mischievous smile appearing on her thin lips that quickly vanished. Seeing this, the young archangel felt more anxious than before. Gabrielle stopped looking him, walking slowly to the middle of the huge room under her brother’s gaze, keeping twirling her spear around as slowly. She pointed with her chin a spot at the end of the room and Samael looked towards it. He saw the many celestial weapons meticulously arranged on a white wooden pedestal, patiently waiting for some future battles. He sighed heavily, looking wearily at his sister. She gave him another mischievous smile and told him:

“ Your lateness doesn’t excuse you from your training, Sam. You know it. Here is my proposition; if _you_ win – which I highly doubt it and I’m sure you know why -, I’ll leave you in peace and you could mess up as much as you desire. If _I_ win, you’ll tell me what’s bothering you that much. Choose your weapon… And hurry up, I have waited for you long enough! “

“ Careful, Sis’! You could be surprised! “, he replied as he walked towards the weapons.

“ How? By not you _failing_ after two minutes? That would be a surprise, indeed! “

Samael glared at her and then looked the many weapons in front of him. He chose a long sword, making some moves with it to test its maneuverability.

Perfect, of course.

But perfection wouldn’t be enough in that case. Not with Gabrielle.

He tightened his grip around the iron handle, the embedded gemstones shining shyly on his skin. The blade had an acceptable length and was well sharpened. Satisfied, he turned to Gabrielle, walking to the middle of the room and keeping a reasonable distance between each other: a few meters wouldn’t be useless. He also twirled the handle of the sword around, giving her a crooked grin. She moved her left leg, as if she was stepping back, but she wasn’t. She slightly bended her body forward. All these movements seemed almost natural to her.

Intuitive.

She placed her both hands on the handle, moving the blade of her spear before her to the ground. With a slight move, she removed her wings of his sight, then staring at her younger brother.

“ You know the rules. “, she warned him. 

Samael sighed deeply and he rolled his eyes. He did the same, the heavy and yet comforting touch of his wings missing him almost immediately.

“ I still don’t understand why you refuse to fight with our wings… “, he complained. “ It’s truly crippling! “

“ What’s truly crippling it’s always using your wings to save your life, Sam. “, she explained one more time. “ You must learn to only count on your physical and mental abilities. You could only have those two possibilities in the future to survive. “

He nodded, annoyed and inattentive. Samael tightened his hands around his weapon and tensed his muscles, staring at his older sister. She hadn’t move an inch yet, holding her spear as firmly than him but with an ease he didn’t have. They both stopped talking, looking each other without blinking once, the nocturnal and peaceful silence in the training room only disturbed by their breathing. Samael didn’t start the fight; that would be totally wasteful and would exhaust him prematurely. A frontal assault would lead him far too quickly, if not almost immediately, to defeat.

He had to block, dodge her attacks and wait.

Waiting for a flaw.

If there was any. He still hadn’t found one, anyway.

Gabrielle rushed forward him in a flash, the floor crackling softly at the exact spot where she had been standing before.

Samael opened his eyes wide with surprise. He quickly placed his own blade in front of him. The sharp spear met his own weapon with a shrill whistling, the young archangel tensing more his body to stand the stroke. Gabrielle smiled at him and then increased the pressure of her blade against his.

She did it so easily, like it was nothing more than ruffling his hand.

Samael moved aside swiftly, her spear then hitting the marbled floor which smashed in thousands of pieces as he tried to hit his older sister on her right side.

The unprotected one. Here was her flaw. 

He smiled victoriously while his blade dangerously approached her ribs. He felt a movement, seeing his sister’s body move from the corner of his eye. Gabrielle removed her spear stuck in the ground with a perfect gesture, tilting the handle in the opposite direction and thus blocking in a flash her brother’s sword. In a second, she slid the wooden handle along his blade while keeping diverting its tip towards the floor. She was using his own strength to her own advantage and he couldn’t do anything against it.

 She then hit his right side -  now totally exposed – from the top of her spear.

Samael winced as he felt the rough touch of her blade against his ribs. The hit threw him on the other end of the room, his back meeting the sparkling floor unceremoniously. His sword slipped a few feet away from his hands. 

That was bad. Really _really_ bad.

Stunned, Samael tried to get back on his feet, reaching for his sword too far from his own position now.

But Gabrielle was on him in the blink of an eye, the white smoke twirling fiercely around her with her speed. She neutralized her brother just as quickly by sitting on his chest, placing her heels on his wrists while he gasped. She moved her spear and pressed its handle against his neck, partially preventing him from breathing freely.  Samael gulped, stopping struggle against his sister’s weight when he felt the pressure against his throat increase.

Gabrielle sighed softly, clearly disappointed while a few red strands of her hair ruffled her young brother’s cheeks.

“ Can’t say I’m not surprised, brother. “, she complained. “ You fought less than thirty seconds! That’s a shame, really. You know where was your mistake? “

“ _Coming here?_ “, he tried hoarsely, the handle still placed against his throat.

She shook her head and released her hold around her weapon, still sit on her brother’s chest.

“ You’ve acted by instinct instead of thinking a bit before attacking me. Instinct is fundamental during battles but strategy is as much important; try to remember that the next time you’ll do another stupid joke around! Believe me or not, but you’re far too predictable lately, little brother! “, she pinched Samael’s nose who frowned.

Gabrielle finally stood up, helping him to get back on his feet now that their training was over. He winced and placed his hand on his right side. That hurt a lot! The spear had gone through the top of his outfit – which was quite tough but clearly not tough enough against his sister’s _weak_ hit – and cut his flesh. There was a long bloody gash on his side. Gabrielle moved his hand from it and gently placed the end of her left wing against his wound. Samael felt it slowly disappear with this simple touch that also removed any pain from his body.

“ I’ll try, Sis’. “

She walked away, placing her spear near the other weapons, and removed her bracers from her forearms. She gently rubbed the inside of her wrists while Samael sat on the window sill, enjoying the cool nocturnal breeze. 

“ Now, tell me… What have you done this time? “, asked Gabrielle again, approaching him.

He stopped looking at the starry horizon and shrugged slightly, bending his legs against his chest while eluding her question.

“ Well, if we think about it a bit… I’ve never accepted the deal, Gabe. “

While his other siblings would have been annoyed by this reaction unfairly perceived as arrogant and impudent, Gabrielle just sat down in front of him, also bending her legs against her chest. She didn’t insist, scrutinizing the outside absent-mindedly.

This behavior meant a lot for the archangel. It showed again her respect and affection for him, just as him for her. He respected her and loved her more than anyone her, if not one of his siblings. The rest of his family was-…

_Family._

Such an inappropriate denomination.

Hierarchy. Order.

That sound much more right.

Gabrielle was the only one who didn’t use her authority on him. She listened to him. She and Raphael did. Two beings that he truly cared about. That he didn’t want to disappoint.

He watched his sister’s profile, his look surrounded by so many questions. Questions that were strongly related to their own _raison d’être_.

This question he had asked to Eve…

This question that would cast doubt on everything. It already had, hadn’t it?

He wrapped his arms around his legs, pensive.

“ Gabrielle? “

“ Hmm? “, she answered, still looking outside with her golden eyes, the cool breeze ruffling her red hair.

“ Why are you training **F** ather’s soldiers? “, he asked.

She smiled softly. A weary smile.

“ That’s the mission **H** e gave me, Sam. You already know that, don’t you? “, she told him after a time.

Yes, he already knew that. That was her mission. Everyone here had a _mission_. A goal chosen by the All-Mighty and Unquestionable **F** ather of All Things.

Always an order.

Always a duty.

“ But… You hate fighting, right? “, he said, scrutinizing her intently.

She didn’t answer him, keeping watching the starry sky in front of them. No verbal answer, but an answer anyway. Of course, she hated this.

“ Then why keeping fighting for **H** im?  “, he asked again, puzzled.

Gabrielle shrugged, stroking her bare shoulder as her little brother still stared at her.

“ Because I have a gift for that. I’ve been created in that purpose. “

“ And that’s it? Don’t you want anything more than this stupid and useless divine mission? “, he exclaimed, annoyed by her docility.

She stared her brother. For a long time. Seeing through his mask and his rough comments.

“ Is this all about your last trip to the Garden? “, she finally asked in turn.

A perfect deduction.

Samael looked away, his features as tensed as the rest of his body.

“ Maybe. “

Gabrielle remained silent for a time, Samael still feeling her eyes burning his neck by their strength. It seemed last forever, the archangel not quite comfortable with this heavy silence between them. He looked at her, meeting her golden eyes blurred with some thoughts he couldn’t guess.

“ It’s _that_ bad? “, she asked suddenly.

Gabrielle was far too insightful. He merely nodded.

**H** e would see this as a serious fault, for sure. Which wasn’t Samael’s opinion, convinced that he had done the best choice for everyone.

Her older sister sighed, standing up near him. She walked away – Samael still looking her – before stopping, turning her back to him.

“ You better talk to **H** im, then. And before **H** e finds out the facts. “, she just recommended him.

With these words, Gabrielle headed for the exit, leaving Samael alone with his thoughts.

 She was right, of course.

He would have to endure the most horrible celestial torture.

It called “ have a quick chat with _God_ “.

 

 

**_TBC with… “ Hopefully “_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes:   
> \----------------  
> Once again, I thank you to read my story so far. A writer is absolutely nothing without readers. I hope this chapter pleased you and that the next one will, too. We’ll go back to hell!   
> For me, angels are really fast when they fight. If you want to look a concrete example, you can watch “ Fate Stay/night – Archer VS Lancer, epic Fight “ on Youtube at 2:03.   
> Let a little comment if you want, I like them! ^^  
> Bye bye !


	12. Hopefully

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe, Lucifer and Mazikeen finally found the Portal leading to the Hinnom’s Valley. But right after having opened it, everything went wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes :  
> _______________
> 
> Hi ! 
> 
> Sorry, I haven’t finished to translate the second chapter of “ In a new Light “ yet. Sorryyyyyyyyyyyyy ! I’ll publish it next time; just have one page to do. So, I give you another chapter here. 
> 
> We’re back in Hell with a dangerous situation, remember ? 
> 
> Happy reading !

**HOPEFULLY**

This infernal trip in Hell was becoming… infernal!

These words were probably stupid given the situation, but-…

No, that was exactly this. A living hell in Hell itself. Nothing went as they planned. Nothing. Or maybe just one thing, an important one.

They weren’t dead yet.

_Not yet._

Lucifer could feel the dome wobble under his palms as greedy souls tried to attack again. A dire crash resounded with the Damned Soul’s roars around him. He looked with fear the many fissures growing all over the protection.

A living hell. Just his luck!

He couldn’t stay here forever. Have a little chat with these tarry trash wasn’t planned.

He had to move.

Now.

He could feel his Light loose its strength. His ring was only giving a more and more weak divine power for a few seconds. Whatever the cause of this, it wouldn’t last long. Even less with these constant attacks. Another one hit the dome, which wobbled fiercely and also hit his muscles. Lucifer groaned, pushing on the weakened protection with his hands as fiercely. He quickly looked over his shoulder; Chloe was almost arrived to the Gate.

It was still too far.

It would take her more time to reach the Portal of the Valley. Time he couldn’t give her any longer.

He had to, however!

How ? How co-…?!

Lucifer turned back to the dome and stared at his ring, his features tensed by anxiety and this physical _energizing_ fight.

Energizing?

Energy… _Power !_

It could work ; it _had_ to work !

He shut his eyes, flinching slightly with another hit against him.

_“ Focus, Lucifer. You just have to focus here… “_

He tried to make a mental connection with this divine power contained inside his ring. This celestial essence that should have been just a memory to him and that was here, yet. That power, that Light – which had built this wall – was still here; hidden deep inside him. It obeyed him, following his instinct… that terrible fear he had felt when he saw Chloe.

Yes. That was the key.

The fear.

Chloe.

Chloe.

**_“ Chloe...“_** ****

The heat beneath his palms, this soothing and yet destructive heat created by his Light begin to grow, pulsating vigorously along his skin, his fingers, body and along the wall. It filled every fissures that turned into like blazing branches. This phenomenon soon spread all over the dome, a piercing whistling rising inside the divine protection. Lucifer could no longer see the dark, threatening shapes beyond the wall that was now glowing with an almost blinding light. He gritted his teeth, focusing more Light along the protection which began to pulsate violently against his hands. The whistling grew around, turning into a disturbing and strong roar.

_“ Now ! “_

Drawing on that power pulsating along his skin and inside him, Lucifer let out a scream and then pressed his hands harder against the dome. He stepped back, the wall glowing more brightly with this new and final supply of Divine Light. It began to wobble intensely as its brightness became almost unbearable to look. Lucifer moved away slowly first, but rapidly began to run to the Portal. He saw Chloe in front of it. The strong quivering seemed affect the ground, too. He almost lost his balance when the fissures filled of Light dazzled him for an instant. He saw the detective fall on her knees near the reddening Gate. 

He was almost there.

Almost.

Just a few meters to cross.

He distinctly heard the wall whistle, unable to bear this immeasurable power any further. The dome blew to glowing pieces all around him, a burning blast of air lifting the ashes to the ground. The blast unsettled the souls attacking the protection, the many pieces fed with divine power hitting them all. Inhuman howls rose all around Lucifer as he finally approached the Portal, Chloe already gone through it.

He smiled triumphantly.

It was too early for that, it seemed.

The sticky damned souls were reassembling too fast. Way too fast. He stopped to run, caught off guard. He thought he was out of the woods, but… The infernal side of their trip seemed to continue and never end.

Too early for this kind of thoughts, too.

The Gates of the Portal were slowly beginning to close, a dense wave of ashes growing at their base with this slow and terrible move. Lucifer looked in turn the dark doors and the souls around him. He then ran as fast as he could.

No time to think longer about this.

He didn’t like doing this, anyway. ‘ Not a good way to stay in life. Not at all.

The red space of the Portal was noticeably reducing as Lucifer rushed as fast as possible towards it, out of breath and his muscles painfully tensed by his running. Several souls moved to his left, eager for flesh and blood. Eager for revenge. He dove forward, rolling on the ashen ground before standing up just as quickly, the black souls hot on his heels.

Literally speaking.

A bit more.

Just a little bit…

A tarry shade slowly rose in front of the Gates, Lucifer cursing shamelessly without slowing down. He couldn’t stop. Nor staying stuck here.

No way he let Mazikeen and Chloe alone in there.

‘ Not a chance.

He ran to the Portal and jumped over the souls who tried to attack his legs. The dark doors closed right behind him with a terrible slam as he fell head first into this dizzily red space.

 

**-xXx-**

For how long was he falling?

Would this bloody fall end someday?

He couldn’t see anything. Just a blood-red storm thundering all around him. Behind him. Under him, too. Was it really behind or under him? He didn’t bloody know! He only knew that he was still falling.

_Falling._

Again.

Lucifer should have been used to this feeling. This _helplessness._ This stifling air cutting his sides. This searing breath of air lashing his face; rumbling all around him, dazzling him. He could only see through his partly shut eyes an infernal tumult. Infernal. As much with its power as its hue.

Red.

Always this hue.

Everywhere.

An unchanging scarlet chaos. Unbearable. Unbreathable.

Lucifer heard a scream. Well, he thought hearing one. From a woman, beyond this endless roar. He couldn’t define where it came from, though. Behind him? Or from somewhere else? He had no idea. He didn’t even know if this scream was real or not. Could it be Chloe? Mazikeen, maybe? Was it nothing ?

Maybe. Maybe not.

The malevolent cataclysm seemed to ease up a bit. Lucifer slowly lowered his arms until then before his eyes to prevent them from the storm. It looked less _red_ , indeed. He could finally see the landscape.

A nightmarish sky.

A reddish sky fed with mankind’s blood. A sky where huge volcanic rocks were levitating. It was black stones with different size and thickness but they all shared with disturbing harmony the same sensation of fear and insecurity. This fleeting vision vanished into the mist. Lucifer fell faster than before, the air still cutting his limbs harder. Squinting, he saw a black area above him. Or was it below ? 

This area - as black as the darkness could be – became clearer within the cataclysm.

Was it _terra firma_ ?

Lucifer seemed getting closer to the ground. Really _really_ fast. He moved his arms in front of his face, sensing somehow a rather painful meeting with this dark area. He mechanically shut his eyes, the searing blast of air still lashing his face despite his arms. He tensed his body in anticipation of the pending impact.

Which was taking its time to come.

Falling didn’t take so long in general, right? The _hellish_ context may have played a significant role here, though. Lucifer opened his eyes, puzzled, and lowered his arms to the level of his chin. He looked the dark floor that was one meter away from his face. He looked around him, confused. He was levitating one meter above the ground, upside-down.

Well, that was interesting.

And quite unexpected. He slowly moved his hand towards the dark sandy floor, intrigued by this phenomenon. Not knowing how or why, Lucifer roughly hit the ground with his back at that moment. This part of the area having a sheer inclination, he crashed down, making some unpleasant _roly-poly_ against his will. He ended up on his back again on the bottom of this bloody slope, panting.

He heard another scream upstream from his crash spot. He was certain not to imagine it this time. The scream resounded louder as he finally saw a human shape in the red sky.

Who was falling pretty fast.

Chloe.

He saw her fall really fast towards the ground and suddenly slowing down, just like him before. The detective crashed down the same slope and ended up unceremoniously on Lucifer, who could fell his lungs running out as suddenly. He let out an exclamation of protest and tried to lift his head at Chloe, unconsciously wrapping his arms around her shaking body to protect her. He could feel her own hands tightly squeeze the fabric of his shirt. She had her face buried against his chest, her body shaking a lot. She seemed uninjured. Terrified, but uninjured. He gently stroke her back without knowing why. The detective released her hold and slowly lifted her head, her trembling breath tickling her partner’s neck. A fleeting shiver tickled his spine in turn. Some locks of hair had escaped from her bun and were before her gray eyes, leaping with the blasts of air around. She stared anxiously at the landscape around them before looking him, oddly quiet. Lucifer gave her a faint smile.

“ As much as I can appreciate your _concrete_ advances, Detective… “, he panted, her body against his preventing him from properly catching his breath. “ I’m not sure it’s the right place for that! “

Chloe looked daggers at him and straightened slightly on him, intentionally pressing hard her hands against his chest to do so. Lucifer protested loudly again and collapsing one more time on the floor, sand chafing his scalp while Chloe asked him:

“ Lucifer, you’re okay? “

“ As much as I can be given our situation, Love. “, he reassured her, lifting his head again and meeting her worried look. “ I’d be really okay if you could move away from my-… “, he said then, pointing his groin with his chin.

The detective stared at him, not understanding his last sentence, and then blushed. She stood up quickly and released Lucifer from her stifling and uncomfortable embrace while stammering apologies, embarrassed. He sighed with relief and sat up in turn, removing the black sand from his shirt. The floor was arid and searing beneath him. There was gas pockets not far from them that were releasing in the air vapors as red as the sky. Everything seemed either red or black here. Lucifer looked around him, intrigued.

He had never been here personally, after all.

Everything he knew about this Valley dated back to his former celestial life and his devilish abilities. Knowing, feeling was one thing. Seeing it with his own eyes was another.

An _amazing_ vision…

A dark wasteland; sometimes stony, sometimes sandy; deep crevasses tearing it. Endless rocky galls on the threatening area. Some of them were rather thin, like a big black claw bent to the floor. The others were much thicker and bigger, too; blocks of volcanic rocks turning some zones into narrow paths difficult to cross. Scarlet fumes was lapping the ground, rising to the sky then coming back to lap everything in the Valley downstairs. Lucifer looked up at the sky, scrutinizing the rocks he thought seen  during his fall. They were easily levitating within it.

Something was keeping them that way.

This stale air…  or something else. Something noxious, for sure.

_Noxious_ was the perfect denomination for this place.

Lucifer looked for the detective, who was kneeled on his left, also removing the sand with quaking gestures.

“ Are you all right, Detective? “

His question reminded him the vision of Chloe being threatened by all these damned souls. Lucifer still didn’t understand his strong sensations by thinking about this. It was like… like everything inside him; his blood, his breathing; had suddenly stopped. Captive from a cold jail.

That was strange, really.

“ In case you wonder… **_I’m_** all right! At least for now. “, said Mazikeen’s haughty voice behind him.

Lucifer looked over his shoulder and saw the demon sitting on a sandy heap not far from them, unharmed. He turned back to Chloe. She was breathing quickly and keeping to tremble near him. Maybe all this upset her more than he thought. He cursed himself again for putting her in such a dangerous situation. He reached out his hand to her, worried. Then she lifted her own trembling hand to say she was fine. She lifted her head and took a deep breath to calm down.

“ I’m fine, Lucifer… I’m fine. Thanks to you. “, she told him, taking his hand in hers while frowning.

That hand where was his ring. 

The detective stroke the black stone sprinkled with white lines, looking at them. Lucifer looked them too, only seeing whitish lines no longer producing any Divine Light. Everything seemed come back to normal. As normal as it could be, of course. Chloe lifted her head and stared at her partner, still holding his hand.

“ Ho-How did you do this? “, she asked. “ I-I thought that your _Light_ was dangerous for you… “

“ I’m as confused as you are, Detective. I saw you…surrounded and then-…It happened somehow! “

What else could he say? There was nothing more to say about this. It had happened.

Just like that.

He didn’t understand. Lucifer could still feel this celestial power running through his veins and giving  him goose bumps. Like a vague recollection of what happened earlier. Chloe ran her fingers through his palm and hold it tighter, Lucifer’s belly turning into flames. It didn’t hurt but disturbed him a lot. She smiled at him, a stronger fire assaulted his body and mind.

“ Thank you. “, she told him.

Lucifer wanted to answer her something clever, but nothing came to his mind. He simply nodded, feeling truly uncomfortable right now.  Silence settled between them, they didn’t want or dare to break it, no matter the urgent situation. Lucifer couldn’t take his eyes off her, just as she couldn’t release his hand from hers.

Then Mazikeen intently cleared her throat behind him. Chloe finally released the devil’s hand as he watched the disrespectful demon again. She was playing with her knives and put them in her pockets. She easily descended the slope where she was sit until now, telling them almost innocently:

“ I’d really like to let you stupidly bill and coo but shouldn’t we speed up and, you know, get the hell out of here?! “

Lucifer had to admit she wasn’t wrong here. Dirty work first, then come the fun!

“ What a wonderful idea! “, he exclaimed, grinning to Mazikeen who glared at him.

He stood up and helped the detective to do the same. He began to walk towards the demon but stopped almost immediately, Chloe passing him without worrying about his sudden immobility. She talked to Mazikeen, but Lucifer didn’t listen, focused on something else.

Something changed. A sensation-… No, rather a lack of sensation.

A sensation he felt before and should still have felt right now. He frowned, puzzled, and slowly lifted his right arm.

The pain.

It was… _gone._

No more sharp pain, nothing.

He carefully touched his hand, more and more confused by this lack of sensations. He was clearly not complain about that, but-…

Chloe turned to him, intrigued, as he slowly removed the bandage around his palm and forearm. He stared with a growing confusion his skin devoid of the slightest burn. There was nothing left. Just his skin. His perfect skin. It was like the wound had never really been there. He bent his fingers several times with an incredulous expression on his face.

_What the h-…?!_

The detective joined him and took his hand in hers, turning it over and over again, scrutinizing every inch of unwounded skin, stunned. Then, she removed the bandage around his shoulder which felt to the ground. She stroked this spot with her fingertips. An unwounded spot, too. There was no more pain. Besides that, Lucifer felt _different_.

Less-… More-…

He couldn’t explain what he was feeling.

It was like… _before_.

Before his Fall.

Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, but-… No. It looked like it; in a subtler way, but it still looked like it.

Looking like his former Divine Blessing.

He could feel it again. It was piddly, shaky. It felt like being trapped in a freezing space enveloped in shadows and suddenly feeling – after endless millennia – the warm touch of the sun’s rays on his skin. A slight touch along his palm and arm, which vanished as fast as it appeared.

Chloe lowered her hand from his shoulder and stared at Lucifer.

“ How is that possible? Your hand! I mean, it-…it was-… “

He bent his fingers one more time, trying to hide from the slight tremor running through his limb. He gulped, disturbed by this fleeting divine sensation inside and slowly shook his head:

“ I-I really don’t know. “, he said, stroking his wrist with his thumb.

“ _Lucifer_. “

He turned to Mazikeen who was still standing behind Chloe and was watching each part of the infernal landscape with increased wariness. She looked over her shoulder and then said:

“ We need to move. “

A simple request that hid a more urgent one. They have to move, indeed; before they notice their presence.

_His_ presence, to be exact.

Coming here was already insane, but coming with a Divine Light totally out of control springing up from him at every turn… It might make things more complicated than usual. He shared a knowing look with the demon and stepped away from the detective, a charming smile on his lips.

“ Maze’s right, Detective. We don’t have time for this kind of enjoyable foreplay! “, he teased her. “ Later, perhaps? “

“ Just-…Stop talking, Lucifer! “, she said, rolling her eyes.

Her partner laughed softly and followed Chloe.

 

**-xXx-**

 

 

Lucifer sighed heavily, tired of this endless walk through the infernal moor.

It felt like he was walking between volcanic rocks and putrescent smoke for eons now. Why did he hide his bloody wings so far away from the entrance of that damned Valley?! Purely and simply because they might had fallen into the wrong hands. The place he chose was perfect to avoid that. Perfect, but bloody far _far_ away from them. He wasn’t lost, was he? No, of course not.

He could feel it. This pressure between his shoulder blades, this discomfort growing with each new step he made.

His wings were close.

He kept walking, Mazikeen and Chloe not far behind. He looked at them over his shoulder. Mazikeen was constantly taking her knives from her pockets when she heard a suspicious sound around. Chloe was carefully walking behind him, her hand on her holster, quite on edge too. Lucifer seemed the only one quiet.

At least, less tensed.

The urgency of the situation didn’t make this trip enjoyable; a trip in Hell was never enjoyable, though. He stopped looking them and watched the surroundings; looking intently each big rock along this narrow path, each plume of smoke lapping against the dark ground.

It seemed pretty safe.

For now.

They had to move faster. Reach the center of the Valley quickly before **_they_** finally woke up from their long torpor. Which wouldn’t take that long.

Chloe gasped behind him. He turned to her, curious, as Mazikeen passed them both; not at all interested. Lucifer saw Chloe in front of a rocky protrusion and approached her. She was scrutinizing a part of it, her eyes widened with awe. Her partner looked over her shoulder what could have drawn her attention. The rock was high of several meters and just as thick. It was quite similar to the other stones from the place and yet had something entirely different within it. A shape. A body. Lucifer could easily see the features of this inhuman face. A demonic one, its body paralyzed in a threatening move. The bony milky face was out from the black rock. There was no eyes or nose. There was only this shapeless bump instead. Its face looked like a _triangle_ , somehow. Its ends bending where the cheeks should have been. The mouth was frozen in a greedy rictus, showing its many sharp fangs dripping of blood. The blood seemed fresh, like it had eat fresh human flesh before being stuck into that stone. Its entire body was leaning forward to attack something – or someone – its chest half-free of the rock and its arms extended towards the detective.

She didn’t dare to come closer, but couldn’t stop looking at the sunk body before her.

“ A demon. “, said Lucifer, Chloe slightly jumping by hearing his deep voice near her ear.

She looked at him, frowning while he kept saying:

“ One of Alastor’s soldiers who betrayed me and tried to take my throne… I still don’t know why they were so sure to succeed! “

She looked the stone again and its frozen prisoner.

“ So… This Valley is a sort of… prison? “

“ Sort of, yes. “, agreed her partner, approaching his face from the demon stuck in the rock. “ And to think that everyone sees me as the King of Anarchy… Go figure mankind stupidity! What you’re cleary not, Detective! “

Chloe shook her head, still staring at the demon. She crossed her arms, pensive.

“ Those demons… Is that why Maze didn’t want to come here? “, she asked him, walking away from the rock.

“ I’d like to, Detective, but no; it’s not. “, he sighed and then looked around him. “ Come on. We’re close. “

Lucifer continued to walk along the path, Chloe on his heels.

“ How can you be so sure? “, she asked, curious as her partner was showing with his chin the right way to Mazikeen. “ It’s so… There’s no _end_ to this place! “

“ I can feel it. “, he simply answered to her, his senses on alert.

Yes, he could feel it.

The pressure in his back was increasing from second to second; stinging his flesh, his nerves, his whole body and mind. The scar tissue was numbed by a painful energy. It was also pleasant. In a way… Like a phantom limb he could feel better by coming closer to the real ones. Lucifer followed this sensation, a golden thread in this stifling labyrinth. A sort of _sensory_ compass for angel wings. He soon heard the sound of a boiling liquid near him beyond the constant scarlet mist. The air seemed became thicker around them, hard to breathe.

Lucifer kept walking, the detective’s footsteps resounding behind him. He couldn’t see clearly what was in front of him with this damned thick mist. The boiling sound was stronger before him as he passed an umpteenth black rock. Beyond it appeared a lake, the plumes of scarlet smoke finally rising to the sky.

The lake was big. Like everything else here, anyway. It wasn’t a lake of common water, though. It was a silver-colored liquid… silver-colored _magma_. Boiling and dangerous magma; even for Lucifer. He stopped not far from the bank of the lake, careful. Thin plumes of smoke ruffled the bank – higher than the liquid below. Chloe joined him.

“ My Go-… “, she said in awe, her eyes looking something higher on the lake.

Lucifer followed her gaze and quickly understood her amazement. He stared at his wings levitating in the middle of the lake. They were spreading a soft and comforting glow throughout the liquid. Immaculate and filled of Divine Light.

A slight light arising from the darkness.

Gentleness in terror. Life in Chaos.

The wings were folded against each other, firmly hugged in a protective case. This case was a strong bolt made of runes fed with their infinite divinity. It was keeping his wings suspended in the air, far away from the boiling magma two meters below. A wave of energy, which was coming from the slight part of Divine inside his wings, ran through the silver-colored liquid, like some pebbles thrown in a pool.

 The pain in his back increased when he saw them. An instinctive and quite annoying corporal reaction. A desire… A need that Lucifer didn’t think he could still have in him. Something he didn’t want to feel again.

The desire to get this particular feeling back. The wind ruffling his wings, their touch against his own skin.

He didn’t want -… he _couldn’t_ want this! He had to have them back, that was all. Not his desire, but rather his **F** ather’s will. A necessity, nothing more.

Nothing more.

“ You’re gotta be kidding me! “, exclaimed Mazikeen behind him, interrupting this quiet contemplation of the divine.

Lucifer sighed heavily and rolled his eyes.

“ Time to complain again, isn’t it? “, he muttered as he turned to her.

Mazikeen glared at him and then pointed to the lake.

“ You’re calling **_this_** a _safe_ hiding place ?! Wasn’t there any other mortal area available than the Lake of Fire?! “, she replied, pissed.

“ Lake of Fire ? “, the detective said in turn, confused. “ Why _of fire_ ? And what do you mean by _mortal_ ? “

Lucifer sighed again and turned his back to the demon who muttered some curses against him. He tried to explain as briefly as possible what the lake was to his partner:

“ Pointing to the _Holy Bible_ – A nonsensical fairy tale, if you ask me -, the Lake of Fire is a kind of ultimate punishment for impure sinners during the Apocalypse.  “

“ And it’s not? “, asked Chloe, looking suspiciously the silver-colored magma.

“ Yes and no, Detective. It is indeed an ultimate punishment, but the Apocalypse is as real as Peter Pan. A complete fabrication from human’s mind and fears; quite creative, I have to admit… What would be the point to create the entire universe to destroy it that fast, right? That’s my **F** ather we’re talking, but **H** e’s not _that_ stupid! Anyway, if someone – I mean there angels, demons and humans – touches this lake will be destroyed. It’s far beyond physical death; the fire is not a metaphor here for the pain… It’s like your soul was slowly burning  to ashes. ‘Sort of. “

The detective nodded slightly and looked the lake again, pensive.

“ Sorry, but-… “, she said then, still looking the lake. “… I’m agree with Maze. Your hiding place sucks! “

The demon thanked Chloe’s support by a triumphant exclamation.

“ Right… ‘Playing girls tribe _thing_ , aren’t you? “, he replied as Mazikeen joined them.

“ It won’t be easy to approach your wings without risking our necks, Lucifer. “, she told him, taking one of her knives from her pockets.

“ _Deary_ Maze, you’re judging all this way too fast! “, Lucifer complained, shaking his head with false disappointment.

“ Fast?! **_Fast ?!_** You know who’s gonna come _way too fast_  ?! “, she replied bitterly, squeezing hard her knife in her hand.

Of course, he knew.

Lucifer walked away from Chloe and approached Mazikeen, deeply annoyed.

“ I think I knew, actually. “, he said, his voice pretty tensed as he looked her in the eye. “ Could you just focus on the most important thing here? “

“ Which _is_ -…? “

“ Get my bloody wings back, for heaven’s sake ! “, Lucifer exclaimed, pointing at the feathery appendages still levitating in the center of the Lake of Fire.

The demon looked this _most important thing_ , seeming quite skeptical about it. She didn’t have to be agree with him, just follow his orders. Was it that so complicated? Mazikeen stopped looking at his wings and looked apprehensively the arid landscape around.

“ Your life, Chloe’s life _are_ the most important things here… “, she finally told him softly.

“ Then help me get them back, Maze. It’s our best chance to live longer, trust me! “, Lucifer replied, more serious than before.

They both looked each other, Lucifer waiting for her help while she was thinking about her possibilities; trust her master… or not. She heavily sighed and took her other blade from her jacket, ready to fight as long as it was necessary. They both shared a knowing look and Lucifer thanked her with a smile.

“ _Fine._ What’s the plan? “, she asked him.

He turned to the detective who had been quiet since he left her near the lake.

“ The plan is right here! “, he said, joining Chloe.  “ _We_ are the plan, Detective ! Such a wonderful way to enhance our partnership! “

“ You and me? “, she repeated. “ How? “

“ We won’t take a dip in this mortal liquid, don’t worry! See, when I sent my wings here, I-… Let’s just say that I placed another safety on them. It was a safety against my own desire to get them back and against any other enemies. I should have known that my **F** ather would have other Divine Plans for me, or course… Anyway, you _are_ that safety, Detective. “

She kept looking at him, puzzled.

“ Our mixed blood is the only way to reach my wings without risk. Your blood and only yours should also get them out from this protection, so… Ready to bleed for your guardian devil? “

“ That’s why you needed me here. “, she whispered.

“ I can assure you that I never wanted this, Detective. “, Lucifer apologized, fearing her reaction about this particular safety.

Chloe placed her hand on his arm and smiled at him.

“ I know. “, she reassured him.

Lucifer slightly moved away from her touch, feeling oddly uncomfortable with it, and turned to Mazikeen. He stretched his hand to her, asking:

“ _Please_ , Maze? “

She threw him one of her knives that he caught easily as the demon kept watching the path where they come from. Lucifer touched the sharpened blade with his thumb, his skin immediately cut and showing a few drops of blood. He stretched the weapon to the detective who firmly took it in her hands. She cut herself too, briefly wincing and approached her hand from Lucifer’s who was stretching it over the boiling magma. A drop of blood dripped from Chloe’s hand, ending on her partner’s thumb. Their blood mixed together and then dripped in turn towards the Lake of Fire.

“ Lucifer… “, Mazikeen whispered in a tensed voice behind them.

He didn’t pay attention to her, only focusing on the spot where the drop of blood ended its fall. A second drop fell right after that at the same spot without anything in particular happen. It remained rather quiet for a moment until a slight simmering disturbed the silver-colored magma. A rippling that became stronger right on the spot where their blood had hit the lake. A strong swirl appeared, quickly followed by another as a resistant column emerged from the magma, which was dripping along it and not destroying it. This dark crystal stopped its ascension at the level of Lucifer’s feet. Another higher crystal arose from the lake, a few inches away from the first one. It looked like an odd and supernatural staircase beyond the Lake of Fire. A dangerous path but obviously safer than a deadly fall into it. Safer than the annihilation of your soul.

A path to his wings.

“ _Lu-ci-fer !_ “

“ Just a second, Maze! “, Lucifer asked sharply, staring at the black steps, the detective also looking this strangely beautiful thing.

“ We _don’t_ have a second… “, replied Mazikeen, her tone finally drawing the devil’s attention.

He finally perceived what the demon had already felt long before he did. Lucifer let himself been distracted. He could feel it now. It was too late, anyway. Far too late to avoid the unavoidable.

Then came a quivering.

A powerful one.

It shook the dark ground under their feet. It was like filthy pressure against his skin. The floor began to shake harder. A terrifying echo divided the sky, everyone hearing now a nightmarish roar. Another quivering shook the ground. As another unpleasant pressure ran along his limbs.

Lucifer could hear Chloe ask him what was happening. He didn’t answer her, as tensed as this quivering was approaching them.

It had taken them too much time.

Now **_they_** were coming to meet them.

Maybe not, though…

It could be that or a big tyrannosaur lost in the Valley, couldn’t it? Hopefully, it will be this.

Hopefully.

 

 

**_TBC : “ Kill Satan “_ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes :  
> _______________
> 
> How about this new chapter, hum? You like it ? Tell me with a comment ^^  
> The three next one will be pretty intense, I’m warning you. A lot of action, like… a lot! They won’t have time to rest ;p
> 
> Next month the next chapter. And in two weeks… “ In a new Light “- chapter 2. 
> 
> By the way, I’m trying to find a proper organization with my French writing so it might have an influence on my English publications for the next months. I hope not. But the next chapter of “ These war and games “ will have to wait for sure, I’ve decided to write the whole story first and then publish it in French. So, no other chapter before a while for this one.  
> Sorry about that ! 
> 
> Bye bye !


	13. Kill Satan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something has found them.  
> Lucifer knows it; as sure as he knows they won’t get out of the Valley peacefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes:  
> _______________  
> First, I really want to thank Navaros/Lzod/Ships_sailing_in_the_night and Caringheart for your regular follow on this story and on the others as well. You’re my regular readers, in a way XD So, thank you… really !   
> You’re the ones for who I keep translating :3 Even when I don’t see the point to continue.   
> Anyway, thank you everyone!   
> I will be pretty busy tomorrow, so I’ve decided to publish today.  
> Enjoy this all new translated chapter!   
> (sorry for the possible mistakes)

**KILL SATAN**

Chloe should have been used to this feeling.

That fear that was frequently ruling her life. That was giving rhythm to her job, to her reactions in front of an imminent threat she couldn’t avoid or stop with some rational thoughts.

This short or long paralysis along her muscles. In every corner of her mind. In each heartbeat and every inhalation hindered by this feeling. This undulating snake that conscientiously paralyzed every inch of her body and mind. Paralyzing all hope.

The hope of escaping this unharmed.

She should have been used to it.

And yet.

This profound fear inside her veins war far more strong right now. Far more cold along her skin than everything she had ever felt in her life. That thought only increased the strength of this horrible sensation.

This slight earthquake didn’t help either. It fed the fear, feeding the detective’s anxiety. That fear was absolutely everywhere around. Even in these quivering which seemed coming from the depths of the earth itself. Even with this remote and plaintive echo brought by the stifling mist or with this terrible roar and the boiling sounds of the lake.

The searing air was also cold and sharp against her face and along her neck yet sweaty. It didn’t warm her up anyway. It was quite the reverse. Chloe could only breathe, taste or even feel that cold fear surrounding the place. It surrounded them.

Mazikeen.

Lucifer.

She.

They were all frozen by this _moving_ fear. Frozen by this new threat, this danger that was coming for them. It was crawling underground; underhand, horrible.

It was all around them and nowhere at once. Here and yet difficult to locate with precision. Chloe didn’t know where to look, where could be this danger inherent to this troubling tumult. From where would it emerge? Where would it attack them? Would it come from behind or right in front of them where Lucifer and Mazikeen were intently watching? From the top? From the ground?

From all these directions at once ?

And what was that _thing_ that seemed to approach them?

“Detective ?“

She started, totally focused on this stifling threat until then, and drew her attention back to Lucifer who was still looking something she couldn’t see herself. He and the demon were staring at a particular spot beyond the narrowed path and didn’t look concerned about these disturbing roars around. She heard them more clearly now. It seemed this thing was coming closer or…not. The roars reduced a few times and then became louder again.

Was she going crazy?

It didn’t make any sense! None of it.

Neither these roars, nor her fear, nor Lucifer’s quiet and confident posture. His posture didn’t make any sense to her, in particular. He stretched his hand to her without turning and gently stroked hers; drawing a warm, comforting line on her cold skin. He closed his hand around the handle of Mazikeen’s knife that Chloe had kept so far, her shaking hand held it firmly since she heard those roars. She stared at her partner and released her hold around the handle even if her whole body was screaming at her to keep it.

Lucifer slowly pulled the knife near his leg without looking her.

“Detective…“, he said again very calmly, which didn’t sound like him. “I need you to listen to me very carefully.“

“W-What’s th-… ?“

“Listen to me and everything should be fine. “, he interrupted her while throwing the knife towards Mazikeen who easily caught it and twirled it around her fingers. “When I’ll tell you to; run to my wings and removed the protection around. Remember what I said? One single drop of your blood will do the trick. Don’t think about anything else. Whatever happens to me or Maze… just keep running, okay?“

Whatever happens ?

Chloe shook her head, puzzled. She jumped when she heard another loud roar not far from their position. It didn’t sound human or even terrestrial. It was a piercing sound. Cold and like… metal or something. It was slicing the sky and her mind.

“Wh-What?!“, she stammered, placing one shaking hand on her holster. “Lucifer, wh-…?“

“ _Chloe._ “, he interrupted her again.

She stopped stammering. Her partner’s tone was quiet and yet tensed. Like he never had been before. He turned his head and met her frightened eyes. Her fear didn’t stop, though, when she met his gaze. It wasn’t because he was afraid, too. He wasn’t.

There was something else in his eyes.

Something darker. Something powerful and ravaging. This gleam didn’t belong to the Lucifer she knew, but to the one who fell in Hell.

Not a gleam.

It was a strong and hellish fire in those eyes. The Devil’s fire.

This Devil was looking her in the eye.

Intimating with this look an unquestionable obedience. This obedience was essential to survive; Chloe knew that. As much as she knew that Lucifer didn’t want to frighten her. Not her, certainly not her. She wasn’t in his line of fire. The fear given by his gaze was only for this terrible thing that was coming for them. These things hidden in the mist and threatening their lives.

He was looking her not to frighten her but to make her understand a very important thing.

Lucifer needed her to trust him.

 Like she had never trusted him before.

A blind trust.

“I need my wings to get us out of here.“

Chloe stared at him briefly, quiet. Choosing to trust him or not despite this constant roar around them. Slowly, she lowered her hand which was still against her holster. She didn’t even avert her gaze once, still looking this essential request into his dark eyes. She nodded. She chose to trust him no matter what might happen here. She then tried to gag as best as she could her self-preservation instinct which was endlessly screaming at her to run away from this roar, trying hard to gag this primal fear. 

Lucifer seemed satisfied and comforted by her approval. He turned again and kept staring this mysterious spot beyond the red haze.

Chloe stayed behind him, looking in turn her partner and the demon, worried. She wasn’t sure, but the roars and quakes seemed weaker than before. Like deadened sounds. It didn’t reassure her, though. She glanced over her shoulder the staircase that had come to the surface of the Lake of Fire. The first rig was to the bank height, leaving just one meter of deadly boiling space between the dry land and its. The other rigs, higher and with sharper sides, seemed much closer to each other, fortunately. It wouldn’t make things easier, anyway.  

She should move fast.

Each rig looked quite difficult to climb safely.

A strange dark staircase to the light. To Lucifer’s wings.

Something else made her turn around quickly, shuddering with apprehension.

She heard no more sounds around.

There was now a cold silence.

No more sounds, except the blasts of scarlet air – the mist becoming thicker near them- or the boiling silver-colored magma behind.

That was wrong.

The air cooled off just like the silence around became heavier. Chloe looked Lucifer again; his serene posture hid something else, she knew it. She knew this kind of tension. That moment when her body and mind was getting ready to fight fiercely and yet that was barely noticeable from the outside. That moment when she foresaw what could possibly happen next, what might put her in danger.

The detective tensed too, trying to get ready for what was coming. For her mission. She had to remain calm and focus as long as possible. As long as her partner needed her. Human or not, she refused to be an easy target. Not a chance. She stared at her partner’s back, finding here the strength she desperately needed right now.

She took a deep breath and jumped when she heard another strange sound.

It looked like a _voice._ A disembodied voice inside the fog. It was devoid of emotion; of human feelings at least. An appalling aura seemed to come from it. Each word brought by the scarlet haze gave her goose bumps.

_And the pleased curs_

_And the damned races_

_By the sparkling space_

_With no end and bank_

_Will all hear a voice saying :_

_Satan is dead !_

_And here comes your end…_

_Work of Six Days_

Lucifer burst out laughing when he heard this odd couplet. Chloe clearly didn’t expected this kind of reaction, not with this heavy tension she felt from him and the demon. Mazikeen was laughing, too; still playing with her knives. She was as tensed as Lucifer, though. The detective could see the demon’s right foot moving slightly forward. Like a first part of the fight to come. Her laugh sounded fake to Chloe’s ears.

Their behavior reinforced the young woman’s fear. What was coming for them wasn’t an insignificant demon, even for Mazikeen and Lucifer.

It was far more worse than that.

The devil shook his head and answered to the voice hidden in the fog:

“As for me, I’m feeling rather fine! ‘Must be the terrestrial air.“, he explained with a serious tone. “You’re wrong about something, by the way. See, Earth had been created by my **F** ather over a few billion years; six days wouldn’t be enough, even for **H** im! But, you know… _errare humanum est_. Ow, right! you’re not human… _Astaroth._ “

Lucifer pronounced that name provocatively.

That would certainly not help them to survive.

Chloe wondered who – or rather what – could be this _Astaroth_ ? Surely a demon, but… what kind of it? Why was it here, threatening them ? What did it want from them? Was it alone or were there other demons with it?

These questions ran over and over again in her mind as she was staring each odd movement in the haze. The red fog began to disappear before them with no reason. It only vanished in one precise spot, still thick everywhere else. That was strange. Chloe squinted, on her guard. Why did the mist only disappear there ? Was it for hiding something ?

It wasn’t normal.

She saw a shadow inside the mist. A body; someone was slowly approaching. The detective clenched her fists along her sides, struggling to stop her body from shaking. It looked like an almost common human being.

Almost.

Even she could feel the threat under its skin. Under this pale skin and its inexpressive brown eyes. Behind its old clothes darkened by the ground and the stinking air here.

She knew there was something purely _evil_ under this person walking slowly towards them.

Her instinct screamed her to run away as far as she could. She couldn’t help but take a step back, looking this man with white hair and bony face.

_“Chloe.“_

She froze, her right leg slightly stretched backwards.

No. She couldn’t do this; she couldn’t run away like this. She was agree to trust Lucifer. She didn’t want to act otherwise. Her instinct turned into another deep voice; comforting, familiar. A voice that never lied.

_His_ voice.

_“… I won’t let anyone hurt you.“_

And he didn’t let that happen until then.

Not once since their arrival here. Not with the _Garms_. Neither with the damned souls. And even less here. Lucifer always kept his word. Just like she would keep hers. She won’t fail him. Chloe refused to be a weak and tearful woman.

She would trust him. She _trusted_ him.

Slowly, Chloe stopped to step back because of her fear, firmly standing behind her friends, glaring at this demonic being.

Looking away from her fears, from her doubts.

**-xXx-**

 

The so-called Astaroth stepped out of the red mist which was oddly twirling around him; moving with him, almost lovingly stroking and lapping against his skin. He stopped at a reasonable distance from the trio, staring first with his lifeless eyes at the demon standing by the former Ruler of Hell’s sides.

Chloe couldn’t see Mazikeen’s face from where she was, but she could easily imagine her expression. Something between high disdain and challenge. She wanted that Astaroth challenged her or even Lucifer, of course.

That was Mazikeen.

Anyway, the detective also felt something else under that behavior; a deep anxiety. She could see it in the way that Mazikeen was slightly stroking her blades with her thumb. However, Astaroth chose to ignore her or maybe didn’t see this obvious challenge demand in her eyes – which was highly improbable.

Chloe watched him as discreetly as possible over Lucifer’s shoulder, yet still focusing on the slightest sound or the lack of it; on the slightest movement into the haze. The theatrical and then straight approach of this man – this demon – was…

She couldn’t tell what was bothering her here, but-…

Her gut screamed there was something wrong with this. Everything seemed wrong, of course, but still… His peaceful walk made no sense to her. What could it hide? She looked her partner’s profile, her brain working at full speed. Did Lucifer also feel the same about it ? While he casually put his both hands in his pockets, she saw his forearms covered with goose bumps. Like his skin was reacting to something invisible to her.

 Lucifer and Mazikeen were more sensitive than her to this feeling, for sure.

That’s when Astaroth looked at Chloe.

It was a more curious look than before. The detective held herself back from placing her hand against her holster while he was still staring at her, refusing to give him the satisfaction of showing fear. She then stood still – lifting her chin defiantly – and looked him in the eye. It didn’t last long, though. Astaroth looked away after a moment, Chloe letting out a slight sigh of relief as soon as they broke eye contact.

He turned to Lucifer, greeting him reluctantly:

“Lucifer.”

The detective felt another shiver ran along her spine while she heard his voice. Its coldness invaded every cell of her body.

“Don’t you dare speaking that way to your King “, growled Mazikeen. “ _Chn kbat !”_

Chloe didn’t understand the last words but they were certainly not compliments, not with that hatred Mazikeen put in each syllable. She would have never think that the demon could hate someone that much. Her attention was however drawn by the fog.

_“What’s th-…?”_

She saw something.

Something had _moved_.

Like a fleeting shadow into the red haze. It was fast, vanishing into it as quickly as it had appeared.

Was it her imagination or-…?

“Come now, Maze!”, Lucifer said. “Let’s try to be _polite_ with our old friend here, hum? It’s been ages since we’ve seen each other, isn’t it? Can’t remember when exactly, though…“, he continued, pretending to be really concern about this tiny detail.

Everyone knew he wasn’t, though. Even less Astaroth who glared at Lucifer. Chloe slightly jumped when she heard an unusual sound hidden in the mist. It was like a squeaking that didn’t last more than a few seconds. Like a blade dragged on the floor.

It seemed pretty close to them.

What was that thing?

Lucifer let out an exclamation.

“Wasn’t it two thousand years ago? When I-…”

“ -…banished me here.”, Astaroth said coldly.

“ _Right!_ I hope you don’t hold this against me. I mean, it’s not like I really had another choice; you betrayed me by joining Alastor’s army, so… Banishment! _Cause and Effect!_ “

Astaroth remained quiet for a moment, Chloe hearing then other strange sounds around. They were coming closer, she was sure of it now. A squeaking on her left, another shadow on her right. Mazikeen had noticed them, too.

Astaroth smiled to her partner. It wasn’t a real smile, it was cold and disturbing.

“Sure.”, he agreed coldly. “You had every right to act that way… Just like your **F** ather, hadn’t **H** e?“

Chloe saw Lucifer tensed instantly while the demon talked about his Father, freezing like a statue. Mazikeen let out an enraged whistling and took a step towards Astaroth to punish him properly. She stopped in a second, though. The detective saw in her face a deep concern while her friend met her partner’s eyes.

No, not concern. That was _fear._

A fear that stopped Mazikeen, telling her not to react for her master. A fear mixed with respect. Chloe stayed where she was as well, watching this growing tension inside Lucifer’s body. She felt the ground slightly quake at one particular spot.

Exactly where was standing her tensed, quiet partner.

“ **H** e had every right to do what **H** e did, hadn’t **H** e?”, Astaroth continued. “You also betrayed **H** im, didn’t you? That’s funny…’Looks like we have a lingering sense of _déjà vu_ here. _Like Father, like Son_ ; wouldn’t you say? Even better, you’re still following **H** is orders! I bet you came here because of **H** im, not by choice. You’ve never been able to make your own choices, anyway; as take responsibility and make your own decisions.”

There was another quake. Stronger than the first one. More terrifying.

Chloe hardly gulped, staring at Lucifer who was still quiet. Far too much quiet.

As the rest of this place wasn’t.

Screams, growls and metallic scraping invaded the space.

She looked everywhere and didn’t see anything in the red fog. Which didn’t mean there was no danger to come either.

“You had your chance to turn the situation around, Lucifer. And you miserably _failed_ … But I understand.”, the demon said sympathetically to his former king. “As you know, I’m not better than you by not doing mistakes. Bet on Alastor to kill you was a terrible mistake, for sure. He was too weak and stupid… Like _you_ , in a way. I should learn from my old mistakes and I will. So… Since you’re right here; alone and weak while I am far – _very far_ – from being alone… I think is the best time for me to learn. “

These last words seemed to be a signal. Which hit the detective’s skin; her muscles, bones and mind and the scarlet space around them.

This haze that finally reveal what it was hiding so far.

She saw shadows into it as the fog was slowly vanishing _; a lot_ of shadows. Too many.

Chloe placed her hand on her gun, looking worryingly around her.

They were surrounded.

A procession of evil beings was approaching from all directions. The huge dark stones of the Valley began to quake, some volcanic rocks falling to the ground. Still quaking, the stone cracked; turning its strong material into _something else_. Turning into a head and bony black, viscous limbs… a demon slowly escaping from the stone while another was appearing inside it.

And a third.

And a fourth.

Dozens of monsters came out from the volcanic stones, others coming from the ground. These ones were had a mouth with bloody fangs, white while the others were black and had no real mouth or features. As different as they could be, they all symbolized the same atrocity.

All spit out by this terrible place; spit out by Hell for one single goal.

Just one.

Kill them. Kill Lucifer.

Kill Satan. 

 

 

**_TBC with_** _“To the Light”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes:  
> ______________  
> The poem is translated from the French original version “La tristesse du Diable” from Charles-Marie Leconte de Lisle (I don’t owe anyhting) :
> 
> "Et les lâches heureux  
> Et les races damnées  
> Par l’espace éclatant  
> Qui n’a ni fond ni bord  
> Entendront une voix disant :  
> Satan est mort !  
> Et ce sera la fin  
> Œuvre des Six Journées."
> 
> The next one will contain some action and fight, as the 15th. I haven’t begun to translate them yet. Sorry for that. I do my best ^^  
> Let a little comment and see you soon !


	14. Towards the Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astaroth, all of these demons around... What's gonna do Lucifer ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes:  
> ______________  
> Hey everyone!  
> Sorry that you have to wait so long for this new chapter. A lot of things happened to me since the last time (I burned myself with boiling tea two weeks ago, I was a bit discouraged about my translations and my English, et cetera.)  
> A big thank you to you, Kittendealer, for having check this chapter ! You are the best !  
> Enjoy everyone ! 
> 
> Music advice for this chapter:  
> ____________________________
> 
> Judge and Jury – Paul Dinletir

**TOWARDS THE LIGHT**

  
Not yet.

Not. Yet.

He had to wait for the right moment.

  
The minute. The second. This precise moment not to be missed. Not even by a tiny second.

Lucifer didn’t move an inch; his chest barely raising with his steady breathing. Like he was frozen, but yet focused. Focused on his goal. He hadn’t felt this particular tension for a few thousand years. Not since the last hellish war against Alastor. The human world could believe Hell to be deeply anarchic; ruled by the devil, but without real respect for hierarchy; but it wasn’t.

Lucifer had always run this place with an iron fist. He didn’t stand any negligence in his own duty. In Hell at least. Earth and Hell were very different places and he thus needed to act differently here than among humans. A more brutal side of him that the detective hadn’t seen yet. Now was the time for it, it seemed. In his defense, he could hardly act peacefully with these unfaithful subjects.

Not here, not now.

He vaguely heard Chloe shout his name, asking for his help; her frightened tone increasing his rage, another wave quaking the ground beneath him.

Not yet.

Each of his breathing, each of his heartbeat strongly echoed inside his skull, mixing with the endless row around. Like a regular tolling bell. A countdown that was coming to an end.

He was still looking Astaroth in the eye. Both gazes unified by the same strength. He didn’t look away, already fighting with his stare. Not backing away from this quiet challenge.

Not yet.

He could hear Mazikeen curse close to him, but he didn’t avert his gaze anyway. Groans were slowly approaching them, followed by other noises from the demons that were surrounding the trio. The only safe place was the narrow path behind Astaroth who was smiling at Lucifer. His pale skin stretched on his bones just by smiling, taunting Lucifer even more in his desire to destroy him. However, Lucifer remained still and quiet; waiting for the last part of the show as fury burned him from the inside. Another tremor shook the ground and moved in the depths of Hell for one single goal. In anticipation of one single move.

_Not. Yet._

Everything came down to this gaze. These tremors and the demons around.

It was just a matter of…

…Time.

**_“Lucifer!”_ **

He tried not to answer his instinctive need to turn to the detective at hearing her fear. He couldn’t.

Not yet.

Still this continued staring between them. Waiting for the right moment. This stare, that infernal advance.

A little more. Just a little bit.

_**“Now!”**_ He screamed suddenly, surprising Astaroth who stepped back.

That was his signal for Mazikeen and Chloe. And for these underground quakes as well.

The demonic power regularly sent into the ground resonated fiercely under their feet, Astaroth struggling to keep his balance while Lucifer didn’t, remaining tensed and still before him. The demons around stopped their progression at the same time, on their guard. A terrifying rumble suddenly arose from the depths of the earth, the screams of demons joining it. The ground quaked strongly; becoming fissured, sagging where the first ranks of creatures were standing near the trio. Taking with its fall the evil previously spit out from the stones and the same ground. The crevasse reached the banks of the Lake of Fire, earth sagging again and vanishing under the brutal flood of silver-colored magma rushing through this gaping space; swallowing mercilessly the first monsters falling into it.

Thus separating Lucifer from the army of demons and isolating Astaroth from them.

Clearing the way for Mazikeen and the detective in the process.

Lucifer let his rage invade every part of his body and mind. He could feel the dark power of Hell burning inside him; running through his blood and nerves, scratching his skin. Drawing from it, joining this power locked for so long inside him; Lucifer hit Astaroth. Not with his hands or any other limbs; he was still frozen in place with his hands in his pockets.

He used this unrelenting power inside him, around him. A strong wave, totally invisible and yet… hard to deny. It hit Astaroth right in the chest, the demon driven a few meters away from his former king, falling on his knees. Strong gusts arose around Lucifer, black sand blown from the ground and moving away from the Devil’s steps.

Unblinking. Unforgiving.

“Time to learn from your mistakes”, he said coldly, walking slowly towards Astaroth, each of his steps leaving burned traces on the ground.

Astaroth lifted his head, his surprise turning first into understandable fear. It was quickly replaced by a fury almost equal to the devil’s, his eyes turning into a yellowish hue. His pale skin cracked with his own demonic power; fine black fissures becoming dark, rough skin with red veins all over. Galls looking like stingers arose on his skin, as red and black as the rest of his body now was.

Lucifer took another slow, unflinching step towards Astaroth.

It was time, indeed.

Everything was a matter of time.

And right now, all that mattered to Lucifer was buying some.

She needed him… Needed time.

  
**-xXx-**

 

Chloe stumbled forward right after Lucifer’s order, a strong shock wave spreading under her feet. Everything was quaking or screaming.

Everywhere.

She remained on hands and knees, just unable to do anything else than look at the chaos around her. She saw the first monsters fall into the gaping space created by the previous shock wave; whining while they tried in vain to dig their claws into the rocky wall. A lot of them tumbled into the void. That emptiness rapidly filled with magma from the Lake. A fall that ended in their final and definitive destruction. Strident howls pierced the air and the detective’s ears. The rest of the pack also screamed all around.

They were screams of fear.

Of rage.

They were screaming indefinable sounds; sounds likely akin to chaos.

_Chaos._ Everywhere.

Chloe got back on her feet, struggling to keep her balance. She looked at the demons gathered beyond the breach. These monsters tirelessly shouted something sounding to her like raging howls. They massed together on the edge of the abyss, shouting and showing their frustration. This unsatisfied hunger for human flesh.

Chloe stared at them, terrified.

They would find a way to cross the breach. It was only a matter of time; seconds, minutes at best. They were more angry than terrified by the devil’s demonstration of strength now.

Some of them started to move away from the edge to better cross over it. The first one to jump fell into the void just like the previous ones; whining when its body touched the magma. More and more demons did the same, anyway; yet more cautious in their moves when they tried to jump beyond the deadly crevasse.

**_“Chloe!”_ **

She turned to Mazikeen, still trying to keep her balance as best as she could. The demon was glaring at the monsters gathered before her as she joined both her knives together. The detective watched her friend as she made the handle of one fit on a particular sign on the other, thus giving form to a threatening silver “S”. Moving them anti-clockwise, the first blade facing the ground came to join the other as to form one single blade. A new long, sharp blade arose from it. Its blood-lust reflected in its distinctive characteristic. It wasn’t a common sword; Chloe had already seen it.

A Japanese saber; a katana.

Long of sixty inches, the saber could slice through air as easily as through any kind of body; human body or not. Mazikeen tightened her fingers around the blood-red handle with silver-colored threads, still looking at the horde before turning towards Chloe.

“What are you waiting for?! Run!”, she cried, swirling the demonic sword – which made a fierce whistling - in her hand.

_Run?_

But… to go where?

It took her a few seconds to overcome the fear invading her body and mind and remember about the essential here.

Remember about her mission.

The wings.

The path.

She had almost forgotten all of this.

  
_“ **When I’ll tell you to; run to my wings.”**_

Now was the time.

She wouldn’t have another occasion. She had to take this one.

Run.

And trust him.

A whitish demon jumped farther than the others, digging its hands into the ground near the two women. It made a furious whistling while digging its claws more deeply; forming long furrows with them to drag its body away from the void. Chloe barely had time to touch her gun that Mazikeen’s sword ran through the creature’s body, a black slimy liquid flowing almost immediately from the wound. The demon shrieked and struggled in vain against her blade, its limbs scratching the ground to get rid of this deadly embrace. Finally, its demonic head fell on the ground, motionless.  
Mazikeen removed her sword from the lifeless body which slid along the cliff to never rise again in this world. Her friend watched the monster fall and hit the magma, its blood still running along her blade. She turned again to the detective, yelling at her once more:

“Move your ass, Decker! Lucifer won’t indefinitely keep Astaroth busy!”

Chloe hesitated for a second before turning towards the Lake. How could she leave Mazikeen to deal alone with these monsters? She was her friend – demon or not – and thus was important to her. She couldn’t let her do this alone, could she?

But this was Mazikeen. Lucifer’s right-hand. She wasn’t that easy to beat, neither was Lucifer.

None of them would ever be defeated here.

Looking at the Lake of Fire, Chloe knew she would have to be fast to gather enough speed to jump on the first platform; the very first step of the demonic staircase. It wouldn’t be easy with this endless earthquake.

She could do this. She had to.

**_“Watch out!_** ”, Mazikeen screamed behind her, suddenly pushing Chloe ahead.

Tumbling forward, Chloe’s elbows and knees hit the ground a meter away from her previous position. A strong blast of air had grazed the back of her neck right after Mazikeen’s intervention.

What was going on now?

Leaning on her forearms, Chloe looked anxiously over her shoulder, opening her eyes wide with pure terror. An axe of the size of a human being – even bigger than that, actually – was deeply dug in the exact spot where she was standing a moment ago. The ground had fissured where the blade hit. Chloe let out a hoarse sound, horrified. The axe was ancient, the erosion of time could be seen in several spots. There were two cutting edges. A double mortality brought by a single apocalyptic weapon. The black handle covered of worn leather was connected to a chain from which she couldn’t see the source. Chloe frowned and stopped staring at the axe to follow the chain with her eyes. It came from the other side of the void; it was as big as the thrown weapon. Chloe’s eyes stopped on a hand that was squeezing the so-called metallic chain. A huge hand, as gray and colorless as the ashes from this place. And yet more terrifying.

She looked higher, her gaze moving along the strong arm linked to this big hand. Moving higher than that. Moving along the face, this terrible face of this gigantic beast. As big and as much threatening as a Cyclops could have been, actually. But it didn’t have the same physical features of those mythological creatures. This monster, this demon, had two sunken red eyes. It couldn’t be a Cyclops, then. Two black horns curving along its broad jaw surrounded its greyish head. Its whole body looked like strong rock. Its features were rough and sharp. A muscular mountain that was only wearing a dark cloth around its waist. This short fabric letting show its legs and hooves; looking like old iron and leaking smarmy liquid over the ground from teared flesh. These chips showed something red and mortal beneath its skin. That same red hue as in its terrifying gaze.

It was a bull. Big and infernal.

A dangerous one.

Much more dangerous than all the demons gathered there.

Where did this thing come from? How did it approach them so close without being noticed? These sounds, these sounds she had heard before… Was that this creature, hidden in the red mist?

The bull first pulled slowly at the chain, then more strongly. The axe slightly moved from the ground. Chloe struggled to get back on her feet, the fear inside her increasing at the same rate as the axe was progressively released from the ground. The other demons seemed galvanized by this unexpected attack. They were screaming again, bumping into each other to cross the void. The huge demonic bull finally managed to get its axe out of the ground, splinters spreading around as it pulled its weapon across the cliff, on the detective’s left. The demon caught the black handle easily with its stocky hand, looking at Chloe with its red eyes. She tried harder to get up, her shoes sliding against the sandy ground. The creature’s fingers tightened around the weapon, its gaze following the detective’s slightest movements, still on her hands and knees.

_“Move… Move Chloe!”_

The more she struggled to get up as quickly as she could, the more awkward and horribly slow her movements were. She had to move; right now. She wouldn’t avoid the axe another time. Each of her heartbeats painfully beat against her sweaty temples, deafening the world around her. She couldn’t hear anything else. Her heartbeats, the clinking of the chain which answered the slightest movement made by this huge hand.

A strong heartbeat.

A metallic clinking.

One single sound. The sound of the death knell with this metallic clinking and this organic pulsation.

_“Move!”_

She saw the demonic Minotaur lift its axe at head level. Slowly. And yet much faster than her own moves. It was like the floor beneath her was working against her, the slightest part of it as slippery as a skating ring could be. She couldn’t move fast enough to avoid the next stroke. The demon lifted the weapon higher, tensing its muscles while Chloe was watching, completely terrified.

The detective shut her eyes without thinking, huddling up when she heard the deadly sound coming from the axe. A threatening whistling that turned into a blaring metallic noise close to her. A crash not at all followed by the end of her own life. By her own flesh ripped with this big axe. Just this metallic crash.

Chloe, who was trembling from head to toe, opened her eyes slowly, both puzzled and scared to death in this very moment. She stared at Mazikeen’s whole body tensing at the effort. Two deep furrows had appeared on the sandy ground; at the exact same spot where her friend had blocked with her own sword the throw of the axe. Only a few inches separated them from each other, Mazikeen protecting her with her body. Maze tensed her muscles, her blade squeaking against the other weapon. She tightened her hold on the handle of the demonic katana – such a small weapon in comparison with the axe – which was hiding a strength she wouldn’t have guessed. A strength that could be pretty usual in the demon’s world. With a smooth and strong move, Mazikeen spurned the axe, letting out an enraged cry. The demonic axe crashed on the floor not far from her, dark smoke rising immediately around it. The Minotaur looked at its weapon, then at Mazikeen, and steam came out of its nostrils.

Its face was showing so much rage at that instant. It let out a deafening howl, every stone of the Valley shaking with it.

Mazikeen didn’t even flinch a second. She just whirled her katana in her hand, tightening her hold on it afterwards. Chloe, who was finally back on her feet, looked alternately at the big demon and at her friend who was having her hair swept by the strong howl.

Not even turning to her, Mazikeen said:

“I’ll take care of Moloch. We have some things to discuss, he and I. _Very_ specific things… Just run, Chloe! Looking at me like that won’t help release Lucifer’s wings!”

For a brief moment, Chloe hesitated to leave Mazikeen before nodding. She turned to the Lake of Fire, ready to run as fast as she could, nevertheless replying:

“Don’t even think of losing! I don’t have time to help you!”

Not waiting for an answer from Mazikeen, the detective began to run towards the Lake. Each stride was accompanied by the horrible roars of the demons standing on the other side of the abyss. She saw some of them jump and climb to the edge, not far from her own feet. They screamed even more when she ran near them, some of them trying to grab at her legs. Chloe avoided their hands easily and kept running towards the silver-colored lake.

Two meters left.

Two meters between her and the bank.

Between her and that jump beyond the magma.

This jump to reach the very first step; the very first platform.

She didn’t listen to her exhausted body, her heartbeats or painful breathing. She was only listening to one thing here.

Something essential. The only thing that really mattered.

  
**_“I need my wings to get us out of here.”_**

Clenching her teeth, the detective put her whole strength, her whole will into this race for their survival.

Hers.

Lucifer’s.

Mazikeen’s.

That was all that mattered.

The bank was getting dangerously close to her, a mere meter separating her from the deadly silver-colored magma.

_“Come on… You can do this, Chloe.”_

A last stride, a last painful breathe.

A last distance.

She jumped as far as she could beyond the liquid that was separating her from the first platform.

Separating her from Lucifer’s wings.

A jump for their survival.

A jump…

Towards the Light.

 

**_TBC with “A fallen angel”_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s notes :  
> ________________
> 
> About Moloch, I took my inspiration from “The Lord of the Ring” with the Balrog.  
> I don’t know when I’ll have the time to translate the next chapter which is really long. So be patient! It will come, as soon as I could.  
> Thanks for reading me as always and let a comment if you want.  
> Until next time !


	15. A fallen angel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it’s been a while since I published the last chapter. Ages, even! Sorry, sorry, sorry… As you’ll notice soon enough, this new chapter was really long to translate.   
> But I wanted to give it to you before the NanoWriMo; I won’t have time to translate after that.   
> Surprise, surprise! ^^  
> I want to thank you for your last comments/kudos/bookmarks, you are so great!   
> So,   
> Biiiiggggggg chapter. A loooootttttttt of angst/action – like just angst and action XD. A lot to read! 
> 
> OooO  
> Music advice (the music I listened when I wrote it in French) - Epic Badass Hybrid Music | Aggressive Modern Orchestral Mix

**A FALLEN ANGEL**

 

 

Watch a caterpillar subtly turning into a butterfly was poetic, in a way.

Magical, even.

The way of the coloured wings broke the thick surface of the chrysalis with repeated blows. The first time that the wings were flapping in the air, hesitant.

Magical.

And poetic.

Two adjectives being at the odds with this thing that Lucifer had in front of him.

How poetic or magical the destruction of the flesh could be? Was this deleterious variation of the skin magical to watch? Or was it the necrosis of the soul?

That didn’t fit at all with Astaroth’s transformation. It didn’t fit with the very definition of a demon.

Or did it?

This patronizing bastard’s slow and painful death would certainly be poetic. And magical.

Lucifer took another step towards him, slow and resolute. The Devil didn’t rush. He always took his time. A time that was more required here than willingly wanted for any kind of fun. Chloe’s safety was required. That was a duty. A responsibility. Protecting her was an absolute priority.

As was _her_ own mission.

He trusted her more than anyone. The detective would succeed to get them back. This was beyond doubt. Just like the fact that Mazikeen would hold her back for as long as needed.

The only doubt here was about his own abilities. About his own mission.

Hold on as long as he could against Astaroth.

Stand as long as he could between he and Chloe.

This was his mission.

He kept moving forward. Still slowly. Still walking with the same determination on his face, in his steps. A determination showed by his body. And not by his mind. Or was it the opposite? He was strongly resolute to crush that louse, indeed.

But could he? In terms of physical strength?

His last fight with this demon dated back to two thousand years. A demon as strong as Alastor was. A time being different from a single detail. A detail that had also unintendedly brought him back to this place.

A feathery detail. Filled with divine power.

Lucifer no longer had his wings.

Not yet.

Everything always came down to this, didn’t it?

He couldn’t defeat Michael, try to stand up to him at least, without them. He could stand against Astaroth only for a time without them, standing against him instead of destroying him once and for all. That was quite ironic, in retrospect. Lucifer had done everything to not belong to his **F** ather anymore or to anything else that could tie him to **H** is **D** ivine and **B** enevolent **P** resence. By cutting his wings off his back, among other things. And yet… Every situation, every problem he had to face reminded him that he was nothing without them. That he couldn’t do anything useful… not without them.

He only was a half of something more powerful. A half of something more easily influenced, too, for sure. Could an angel – even a fallen one, like him – still be named so without these big appendages between his shoulder blades? Could he still claimed to be the Devil without these strong wings to rule these demonic troops?

Could he really claim to something without them?

His wings were a part of the Divine, an endless source of power when he only had his. _His._ His power, his own abilities that had nothing to do with the Divine. A raw, rebellious and so easily exhaustible power.

Astaroth was right, in a way.

Lucifer was weak.

But who cared in the end?

Who cared as long as he could – even if only with his paltry abilities of immortal being – buy them more time?

His level of power didn’t matter that much. Whatever it had been before, whatever it was henceforth.

As long as it was enough.

As long as it saved them more time.

Astaroth’s white skin eventually disappeared for a darker one, scarlet vessels growing all over his limbs. His bones made a terrible crack; they began to lengthen, deforming his features and the rest of his body. A larger body stood before the Devil, each muscle covered of bony stings with that black skin and those odd vessels everywhere. A thorny warp growing here and there on the demonic body. On Astaroth’s shoulder, all around his skull – some of it smaller and larger – along his fingers. Those stings surrounded by scarlet vessels, as red as the mist lapping the ground. He didn’t look that human, now. His eyes were just two holes filled with this yellow gleam, wild and dangerous. No more mouth hungry for harsh words. Just this dark withered skin dug into a mass of disgusting flesh.

Nothing else but this _butterfly_ coming out from its chrysalid.

A gargoyle would have been more appropriate; even if it sounded insulting for this statue.

Lucifer gave him a mocking and sufficient smile and kept walking along the path surrounded by huge volcanic rocks, closing the gap between him and Astaroth. The demon slowly lifted his scrawny arms, Lucifer looking at him, intrigued. And suspicious. The endless red mist suddenly rose in the air around them and stopped lapping at the dark ground to graze Astaroth’s palms. It was like a tight red curtain rising between them. Then the mist winded around the hands of the demon, his skin blending in the scarlet mist.

Until Astaroth totally vanished into it.

Lucifer saw the demon disappear inside the mist and froze, on his guards. Squinting, he looked around him each part of this tight red curtain that was now surrounding him. Looking at every sign of change into it, each blast of air. He turned to the entry of the path, noticing that it was also blocked by the same mist. It was like it had its own will; and it wanted to trapped Lucifer here.

 That was strange.

Lucifer turned again to the last spot where he saw Astaroth, saying around with a mocking tone:

“Come on, Asty Boy! Don’t be shy! I thought we’d learn together from our mistakes. You know... I shouldn’t have let you live and you shouldn’t have tried to threaten me. Twice!”

He watched any possible movement around, only seeing this endless red mist. It muffled any sound, except his footsteps in this narrow path; becoming narrower with the mist lapping at the dark rocks here and there. Lucifer could only hear his own breathing, his own movements and a stream of air. He could no longer hear the screams from the horde behind him.

It was just him and that scarlet mist.

He looked around him again, freezing at the slightest unusual sound. Where the hell was this bastard? Astaroth couldn’t have totally vanished from the place, could he? No. It was a powerful demon. But not that powerful. He was still here. Somewhere. Hiding into the mist. Lucifer released a power a bit, his eyes changing into something Astaroth couldn’t escape. He slowly looked each side of the path covered with the red mist and only saw the sharp or smooth shapes of the rocks. He frowned, turning round and round to find Astaroth.

But nothing.

That couldn’t be possible. The demon should have appeared, hidden or not by the mist. The Garms hadn’t been able to escape from his eyes, so was Astaroth. What was going on? He could feel his presence, like a putrescent aftertaste inside his throat. Astaroth was here, close. And yet, there was no sign of him.

A shooting pain burst along his right side, Lucifer instantly crying, taken by surprise. He stared at the deep cut between his ribs, his blood beginning to run from it and soak his white shirt. Lucifer’s breathing quickened instantly, just like his heartbeats. He placed one of his hands against his wounded side, gritting his teeth with the increasing pain. He looked around him and only saw the same red mist without any demonic presence nearby. He didn’t feel anything new. Anything that could help him to find this asshole’s position.

Another wave of pain burst into his left heel and Lucifer groaned with it, staggering for a moment. He turned to the origin of the attack, stepping back. His blood soaked his pants and kept running on the ground as he was wildly turning round and round again. Besides the shooting pain, Lucifer began to feel something else. A slow burn rising inside his wounded flesh. It was invading his skin, his blood and was going deep inside his muscles. Slowly burning and freezing each of his limbs.

Poison.

It was poison from Astaroth’s putrid skin.

A mortal one, for sure. But nor for Lucifer. Being the Devil had some benefits. It wouldn’t kill him, but it would take more time to totally paralyze him. A few minutes, maybe less. And then Lucifer couldn’t do anything else than watch Astaroth finish the job. He couldn’t even scream his pain that would meticulously burn every part of his body.

Lucifer was able to drain his metabolism from the poison, but not that fast.

His only chance was to find Astaroth and kill him before he did.

But how?

His powers were quite useless right now.

How-

**_“You must learn to only count on your physical and mental abilities. You might only have those two possibilities in the future to survive. “_ **

Gabrielle.

Why did he have her in mind? Why was he suddenly remember her speech? He hadn’t thought about Gabrielle since-- For millennia. Why now? It was stupid. Useless. And really ill-timed.

Astaroth’s sharp claws dug bloody furrows in his lower back, Lucifer letting out another cry of pain before falling on his knees, his hands sinking into the sand. He briefly shut his eyes, panting. His own blood soaked the fabric of his shirt again, running along his hips slowly ravaged by poison. Breathing became more and more difficult, his lungs struggling to fulfill their role besides the slow and yet endless assault of this demonic toxin. As his calf noticeably stiffened, Lucifer was already no more feeling anything above his ankle. Anything but this ruthless burn.

He opened his eyes, as human-like as usual now. He had to find something else. Something more traditional, so to speak.

A discarnate laughing resounded all around him, inside the fog.

“Is that fear in your eyes… _My King?_ ”

Lucifer didn’t answer, too busy looking for a Plan B.

What could he do?

**_“You’ve acted by instinct instead of thinking a bit first. Instinct is essential during battles but strategy is as much important here; try to remember that--"_ **

Think.

_Think._

There must have been something; a tiny detail, that would betray this bloody louse’s next move. It had to be. Not something obvious. Something subtle, perhaps; something he wouldn’t have noticed immediately, even less in his current situation. Lucifer tried to take a deep breath, as much as his wounded lungs allowed it. He stayed on his hands and knees, his head slightly leaning towards the ground. Staying like this, he looked vulnerable and an easy target. But he wasn’t, watching for the slightest change or unusual move in the red mist around. Astaroth would attack directly or his flanks, maybe. There, he was vulnerable.

 There, he _seemed_ vulnerable.

And then, Lucifer saw it.

This tiny detail.

A change of hue at a specific spot to his right. It was brief, but he saw it; this graying in the mist. It was like it was giving up a small part of it to rebuild something heavier… A body.

Astaroth.

Lucifer waited. A second. Two.

He waited. Unmoving. Injured. At his mercy.

A dark arm emerged from the previous change of hue, quickly moving towards Lucifer’s neck. Death along those poisoned claws.

A second.

A few inches between that hand and his neck.

Between life and death.

His head still leaning towards the ground and remaining as still as possible until then, Lucifer grasped the demon’s wrist who was hidden in the fog. Astaroth’s face appeared near him, just as the rest of his body; when the Devil grasped him. Only a few millimeters separated Lucifer’s throat from his claws. The Devil slowly lifted his head, looking daggers at him. 

A hellish look. A terrifying and vivid red inhabiting his eyes, much more terrifying than the mist around.

“You should look better, Astaroth. This is not fear… but wrath. What about you?”

 

**-xXx-**

 

Mazikeen gave a quick look towards the steaming bank of the Lake of Fire, following Chloe’s fast and lopsided progression with her brown eyes. Now that she knew her safe – in a way -, she focused on Moloch who was still on the other side of the abyss; and still furious. She stroked the handle of her sword with her thumb, watching every slightest move from this bovine douchebag. She was also watching the progression of the demons behind her, hearing from time to time their screams while they were trying to climb along the wall. One of them arrived faster than she thought, charging her. Mazikeen didn’t look at him, moving her sword faster than any human eye could see and dug the blade deeply inside his chest. She barely noticed his claws grazing her leather jacket in her back. His black tar-like skin hardened around her blade and began to crack until the body blew to pieces, uncountable volcanic stones falling behind her.

Mazikeen kept staring at Moloch. Watching his first hit. His first move.

A move that would be everything but worked out precisely.

A bellicose movement that would be simple and predictable. Strong, but predictable.

Moloch squinted, his look probably terrifying for anyone else than her.

She wasn’t afraid of him.

She never was. Not even when they fought the very first time. This part of her life seemed so far and so close from her at once. Like a time-related junction in her mind, her sensations.

She remembered her own birth in this world of ashes. The awakening of her senses, of her physical sensations inside the Flames of the Throne Room. That heat that filled her veins, her eyes, that kneaded her flesh into strong limbs. She could remember the first time she breathed; so many scents around, the ground covered with ashes under her palms.

And his eyes.

His gaze on her.

Lucifer. Her Master.

She remembered that moment. That tacit deal between them both for all eternity with one simple look.

After having evicted Alastor from Hell and put to flight the main part of his army, Mazikeen and Lucifer had fought together the worst hell-made renegades; Alastor’s generals – Moloch and Astaroth. It was an epic fight, for sure. Almost apocalyptic, even in Hell. Mazikeen would have liked to remember her solo victory against Moloch, though. It could have been the truth and truly enjoyable. But it wasn’t real. She was young in those days of pure chaos. Not the fearsome fighter she was now. Wild and eager for blood and glory, but not enough against this powerful demon who was – back then – far more trained than she was.

His strength defeated her with only a few blows, no matter how much she tried to smash him to a pulp. Moloch’s defeat was only due to Lucifer’s help. This fallen angel who had stopped the final blow against the young demon. A relentless strength that had repelled the traitor to the gates of the Valley, imprisoning him into it forever.

Imprisoning her unquenched desire of revenge as well.

Till today.

Mazikeen smiled to her opponent. He roared again, volcanic stones and other demons blown by it. Moloch tensed his muscles, pulling sharply the heavy chain connected to the axe. He took it back in his hand, giving her another furious glare.

She didn’t move, quiet and focused.

She wasn’t afraid.

She would win this fight.

And she would keep a true memory from it.

Enjoyable. _Truly_ _orgasmic_ , in a way.

A second passed, maybe less than that, before her opponent threw his weapon in her direction, cleaving the air with a whistling. Mazikeen watched the axe coming to her; she stroked the handle with her thumb again. Stroking the desire that was boiling inside her like the literal Hell around, running along the blade of her katana as well.

This desire of revenge.

A smooth movement. Fast. As fast as a blast of wind could be. As fast as Mazikeen could be.

With one move, she placed her blade in front of her, her both hands firmly gripping its handle. With one move, their weapon, their thirst for each other blood clashed in a deafening roar. With overwhelmed power fed by their common desire for destruction. He and she, together and yet enemies at this very moment.

However, Moloch’s strength launched Mazikeen backwards, on the other side of the ravine. She ended up heavily on the ground with a grunt, making a dark trail in her path.

Ended up in the middle of the horde.

Piercing joyful screams resounded all around her, enjoying Moloch’s short win. Mazikeen felt them approach her before even seeing them, their own thirst for blood weeping in the air. She arched her back, propelling her legs forward to stand up fast. Not even looking at the creatures that were beginning to surround her, she dug her blade in the ground right before her. There was a slight jolt at this specific spot, and then something happened. Silver-colored stalagmites erupted from the ground and formed a perfect circle around Mazikeen, impaling any carefree demons who dared to think approach her. The stalagmites ran through their white bodies like butter. Black blood began to run down each stalagmite as the other dark demons blew to pieces with a single touch from it.

Easy.

So easy.

The demons left ran away from her, still screaming – screaming their fear this time. Mazikeen removed her sword from the floor with a sharp move, the stalagmites fading instantly in the air as many dead bodies fell heavily on the ground all around her. She looked at Moloch with defiance. He roared and finally decided to come closer; with one step, he would be on the other side of the void.

The earth began to shake.

Mazikeen wiped with her hand a strain of blood along her cheek, her smile widening.

It would be truly orgasmic, indeed.

 

**-xXx-**

Chloe ended up heavily on her knees on the first platform. The first step to their salvation. Their way out from Hell. The air was stifling here, right above the mortal lake. Steam was endlessly rising in the air, making it more stifling than it could be in the Valley. The detective couldn’t see straight beyond two feet of distance. She couldn’t see the wings, even if she knew they weren’t that far from her. This steam was as sudden as odd. As much as the red mist had been earlier. It was like the Lake of Fire could sense her presence and was trying to stop her, protecting its property.

The Lake of Fire, or Lucifer’s wings.

She didn’t have time to think about it. She had to keep moving, with or without steam on her path. But how could she move quickly in those conditions? How could she be careful and fast at the same time?

It sounded impossible to her.

Chloe took a deep breath, her heart beating fiercely inside her chest, and she slowly got back on her feet. She began to walk – one slight step forward –, her shoe instantly slipping against the damp crystal. She let out a scared cry and gulped, clenching her fists. She kept walking carefully, one step after another; it was a slow progression and she hated this, but at least she was moving. She was closing the gap between her and Lucifer’s possessions. Chloe was now close to the next platform that was still hidden by the steam around. She could hear the bubbling magma beneath her, also hearing some demonic screams behind her sometimes.

_“Keep walking, Chloe… Just keep walking. One step after another.”_

She nearly lost her balance several times, avoiding to fall at the very last moment and thus avoiding her soul’s extinction. It seemed like she was walking for hours. When would she reach the end of the first platform? How would she climb on the second one?

Chloe started to panic while the steam suddenly cleared up and let her see the next platform, higher but rather close to the first one. She looked at the wall, looking for a way to climb to the top and continue her progression to her partner’s wings. The crystal wasn’t smooth, there were some stretched parts – maybe she could use them to climb? But she would have to jump and catch one of them in the move. She couldn’t bungle. Nothing would prevent her from the fall. One fail, one death. They would be all dead if she didn’t climb to the top. And Chloe had no intention to die in this terrible place.

Either she or the others.

She heard a grating behind her and turned quickly, on the alert. It was a strange noise, like nails along a blackboard. Another grating that gave her goose bumps despite the stifling heat around. Her breathing quickened, as fast as her heart could be. Both giving up to this natural fear. She stared at this part of the platform that was lapped by endless steam, which was hiding from her the origin of this threatening noise.

Chloe gulped and looked up toward the top of the second platform. Only one meter from the edge, maybe less. Was that enough? Enough or not, she would probably have to deal with it. It became a certainty when she heard a growl with another grating. Chloe turned again to the steam, frozen. Something looking like a leg came out of it. A white, corpse-like leg not looking like something human. Or even animal. Chloe stepped back, staring at this demon that was moving towards her – scared to death and not even able to cry. He was moving slowly. So slowly. He seemed looking at her, too. He didn’t have eyes, so the detective could only trust her guts here. Did he really need eyes to look at his victim and inspire fear?

Probably not.

He moved his head to one side, his dark fangs contrasting with his pale skin as a yellowish liquid ran along his jaw, dripping onto the floor.

Chloe looked at this perfect nightmare, still frozen. Just a second. A look driven by fear and just as short as her own breathing.

A second. A quiet one.

A second quickly broken by the sudden frantic move of the creature. A run-up with one single goal; delight in Chloe’s flesh.

Chloe didn’t even think.

Her body got the upper hand.

She ran like Hell was behind – it was far worse than that -, the demon being on her heels. It wouldn’t be long until she’d reach the edge. Just one more step. She used all her strength, her fear to jump forward, the furious yowling of the demon following her. Chloe felt the heat of the lake surrounded her before her moist hand grasped a hold, her body collided with the crystal pillar. She let out a grunt of pain, securing her grip on the hold. She began to feel a shooting pain inside her palm, where her skin had met the crystal, blood starting to escape from the wound. She grasped another hold with her right hand, shaking and breathless. Chloe looked behind her, making sure this monster was still stuck on the first platform and would stay that way. He was screaming his rage, his claws slipping on the floor, but he didn’t fall in the Lake of Fire. Too bad. The detective tensed her muscles and began to climb as fast as she could. Her feet often slipped against the crystal, Chloe supporting her entire body with her shaking hands. She gripped another hold a few inches above her head, using her right leg to propel herself higher.

She heard then another yowling.

It wasn’t behind her.

It was right _beneath_ her.

Taking a look, the detective saw the monster not far from her feet.

When had he jumped there?! She didn’t even hear him jump!

The short distance decreased as soon as the demon used his claws to climb nimbly with fast-paced moves. The young woman hastened to grip another hold, cursing every time her sweaty hands and feet slid along the pillar. Her nails dug into the crystal, she lifted her body to the top of the second platform. Chloe didn’t look down, too scared and not wanted to distract herself during the climb. One mistake and she was dead. Her moves became slower with each new inch climbed, her stiff limbs closed to give up. 

She looked up, letting out a hoarse cry of relief - the edge was so close. Trembling from head to toe and sweating, Chloe lifted her right hand to it. Her skinned fingers also sticky from blood, grazed the edge first and then grasped it. She pushed on her legs to drag herself on the platform, leaning on its edge, panting. She pushed on more time - using her legs and arms - dragging herself as fast as she could on it. She crawled a bit, catching her breath.

She looked at the other platforms; no need to climb…

But running, on the other hand…

Something pulled on her left ankle, Chloe crying as her temple hit the ground. She felt herself pulled backwards and looked over her shoulder, her eyes wide-opened with fear. The demon had grabbed her leg and was trying to pull her down. He pulled on her leg again, yowling his fury, his thirst for blood. Chloe tried in vain to hold onto something, slowly sliding on the smooth crystal. She took her gun from her holster and shoot straight in the demon’s head. The bullet rebounded against his white skin but made him let go of her. Chloe lost no time and used her hands to get up quickly. The demon grabbed a side of her raincoat, pulling on it to catch her. The coat slid down her shoulders as she rushed to the next platform. It slid down her arms before falling to the ground, the screams of the creature answering to it. The detective stumbled forward, her gun slipping from her hand and then falling into the Lake of Fire. She ran again, the demon being on her heels again.

Hair across her eyes, completely exhausted and scared like she never had been before, Chloe kept running.

A race against time, against death – a race that was immersed into strange and yet benevolent light in the middle of this nightmare.

Lucifer’s Light.

The Light of his wings.

Almost there.

_“Run! Run faster!”_

 

**-xXx-**

Lucifer eluded another hit from Astaroth, his claws grazing his already wounded side. He moved back swiftly, his face tensed from pain and focus.

Moving backwards.

That was all he managed to do.

Moving backwards, eluding next blows.

Moving backwards when he desired moving forward, destroy this conceited dickhead. It went that way, a few seconds ago. He had the upper hand over him, anticipating each of Astaroth’s moves.

Lucifer had hit him back. A powerful hit – a devilish one. The many rocks broken apart around them could testify, as well as his opponent’s burned flesh. Burned deeply, but still able to fight. When Lucifer couldn’t longer do it.

Here was the truth.

With each of his dodges. Inside his painful breathing, his own movements. Inside his body, with this furnace that was tormenting him, his mind close to give out under its weight.

Here was the poison.

Weakening him, his strength and his will. Inciting him to give up. To surrender.

No… He couldn’t give up. He had absolutely no right to give in. Chloe, she needed him, needed his help. He had to hold steady, as long as he could. Even if it was just a few seconds. Which he didn’t seem to have.

Lucifer moved back hastily as the vindictive arm that wanted to squeeze his throat only met void. He stumbled, running out of steam, and looked for the next sign into the red mist. Astaroth’s blows were escalating in time, with barely a second between two. He tried to take a deep breath, struggling against his lungs that were nearly frozen inside his chest. He only managed to let out a pathetic whistling from his mouth. He shook his head briskly, hoping to make disappear these black spots before his eyes.

Too late for that.

Astaroth’s hand grabbed Lucifer to the throat before he could even try to move – in an offensive or defensive manner. He felt his sticky palm along his own skin, and it was painful. Astaroth launched him in the sky, Lucifer hitting the sandy ground further. He didn’t even feel it. He didn’t feel anything, just the endless furnace inside him that wasn’t his.

He could no longer feel the pain outside, not even his wounded limbs.

Lying there, totally frozen by poison, Lucifer could only watch his own defeat. A defeat living in each step made by this demon towards him.

Beyond the burning pain inside him, he thought he felt something else. Something between his shoulder blades; neither painful nor pleasant.

What Astaroth was planning to do with him – how he was planning to kill him – would never be described that way.

 

**-xXx-**

 

Chloe jumped once more above the small gaping space between her and the very last platform.

The last one.

She could make it.

She began to run the moment that her feet touch the smooth crystal, each of her strides resounding clearly against it, mingling with the noises of the lake. The detective couldn’t take her eyes off the protection around the wings, which seemed to resonate more as she filled the gap between them. The symbols on it glowed like stars in the nocturnal sky – like if they couldn’t wait to feel her touch against them. Chloe stretched her hand in front of her, eager to touch them. Eager to save her life – still threatened by this creature behind her, by this terrible place - and the others.

The demon dived to her legs, making them both fall on the platform. Chloe let out a frightened cry, struggling like she never did as he grabbed her left calf with his hands. She hit him hard with the other, spurred on by desperation.

She was so close.

Chloe looked in front of her, staring at these still and imprisoned wings.

She was so damn close…

Close enough, maybe?

She struggled fiercely against the demon’s grip, stretching out her arm. There were just a few millimeters between her fingers covered with her own blood and this glowing cell.

More.

Just a little more…

 

**-xXx-**

Lucifer didn’t take his eyes off Astaroth who was walking toward him. He looked so happy to see the Devil’s weakness in the flesh. He who was struggling fiercely against it, against this paralysis. He wanted to scream, scream his rage instead of those pathetic whistling’s.

He hadn’t come here to end like this.

With those claws inside his heart, with this pedantic demon smiling above his dead body.

He hadn’t brought Chloe into this nightmare to let her dive with him into it.

_“Get up… For Godn-“_

Astaroth leaned toward him, slowly lifting his hand above his head to give him the final blow.

His death.

_“Get up!”_

A quiet, blinding light exploded in the distance, stopping his opponent’s movement. The light vanished in the sky as quickly as it appeared, an equally quiet wave filled with strong energy affecting each inch of air in the Valley.

Lucifer didn’t even have time to wonder what the hell was happening now.

The pull in his back deepened, getting the upper hand over the furnace. Everything became completely white around him – like a glowing space of unmatched purity in the darkness. A strong, piercing whistling filled the air, engulfing Astaroth’s scream that was now thrown out by the Light. Deeply wounded and annihilated by it. Burned to ashes.

Lucifer managed to rest on his knees, the poison pouring back from his blood and weakened limbs. It became blinding very quickly, Lucifer no longer seeing his own body or hear nothing more than this deafening, piercing whistling.

The pull turned into an unbearable pain along his shoulder blades. Lucifer arched his back, joining his own scream to that sound. Just as his flesh was tied back to his divinity, to his Light. He felt his scars begin to burn with unrivalled furnace, not even Astaroth’s poison. Not even his own demonic fire.

A soft, fierce heat. Unbearable.

The scar tissue opened, blood running along his spine, also engulfed by his Light. His skinned muscles were almost pulled out his back, joined to others – more powerful ones. His body found a missed part of himself.

A part of who he was long ago.

As the flesh was tied together, Lucifer felt another power fill his blood. It submerged the poison and his senses as well. The black sand began to melt under his palms with this huge amount of divine power at one spot. The ground became as hard as the stones and Lucifer was desperately trying to hold on to it as his skin and bones were cracking outside his back with screams and squirts of blood.

He thought know the real pain when he had cut his wings off.

But this--

This was far much worse.

This power, these bones brought back together were strengthening his body, his own power.

It was making him stronger. And it was making him weak, too.

It was two notions tied up together with this moment. Pulling on each other, trying to combine two different things into one single source of power.

Trying to join Light and Darkness together.

Making the impossible possible.

The Light that was surrounding Lucifer until then and running through his veins, through every inch of his skin and screams vanished just as suddenly. The Devil felt on the ground, panting. He tensed his hands on the floor that had turned into glass beneath him, black spots dancing before his eyes. Stuck in a tiny space between oblivion and reality, Lucifer managed to turn his head over his shoulder.

He had to see them. He had to.

Shivering from head to toe and covered with sweat, he stared at the huge white wings in his back, unblinking.

His.

White. Glowing with Divine Light. Sprinkled with blood, his blood…

They were here. Again.

He could feel their weight along his sides, the touch of the feathers against his shirt.

He could feel them… He could feel them again.

One of his wings started slightly; an instinctive movement from Lucifer. The skin at this spot was still burning like hell. This was wrong. It shouldn’t burn like this. It shouldn’t be _that_ painful. The slightest movement was as pleasant as eating sharp knives.

Lucifer used his forearms and legs to get back on his feet, but froze in the middle of it, puzzled. Having them back should have made him stronger than before. And he was, in a way. He could feel his Light throb in his veins, right under his skin and eyes.

And yet, he didn’t think he’d ever felt so bad before.

“ **_Lucifeeeeeeer!_** ”

That was the detective, wasn’t it? Why did she sound so far?

He turned his head slightly, too slowly. His angelic powers partially returned to him, he could now see Chloe from where he was – like she was right next to him. She was desperately holding onto the edge of the platform that was beginning to break at its base, big part of it falling into the magmatic liquid below. Chloe tried to use her feet to climb, but didn’t succeed. She slid further along the dark crystal, her hands sliding slowly along the smooth floor of the platform.

She was going to fall.

 

**-xXx-**

Chloe screamed as her tensed fingers slowly slid on the weakened crystal, unable to support her weight.

They were sliding.

Over and over again.

Constantly reducing the only source of her salvation.

She was going to die.

Her own death symbolized by this desperate hold. As desperate as useless. She couldn’t take her eyes off her fingers still sliding along the platform; she would soon have nothing left to hold onto. Nothing but the void filled with silver-colored magma. Chloe tensed the muscles of her arms, trying in vain to propel herself on the platform. The whole structure was cracking harder as time passed. All the others platforms had already fallen into the Lake of Fire from which they were first born. There was only this one left. Where Chloe was struggling for her life.

Another part of the platform cracked at the base and came off the main part, the silver-colored magma oddly whistling at its touch. The platform trembled again, bending down noticeably.

That was it.

She was going to die in Hell.

Her fingers were only a few inches from the edge, a gaping edge to Death. Chloe stared at her numbed, shaking fingers filled this gap too quickly and she couldn’t do anything against it. She saw her hand give up.

She saw her end.

Her body fell into the void, followed by her scream as she shut her eyes.

She didn’t want to see this. She couldn’t--

She couldn’t die here, she--

Then, something hit her in her fall. Not the magma. She felt herself lifted in the air, a strong blast of wind lashing her blonde hair. Scared to death, Chloe didn’t understand what had just happened to her. Not directly.

She didn’t fall, but--

She was still between heaven and earth. She was safe and sound. She could feel her face and hands buried in a familiar shirt.

And Chloe opened her eyes.

She saw something new. Something powerful, amazing.

She saw an angel.

She saw Lucifer.

His wings.

His both white and gloriously divine wings mastering the air and propelling the two partners in the skies, far from the Lake of Fire.

Chloe saw their salvation.

 

**-xXx-**

She felt him before even see him fly towards her.

_About time._

Mazikeen smiled as she arched her back, Moloch’s axe whistling and grazing her cheek. The blade hit the thick volcanic pillar behind her and stayed stuck into it, as she had planned. She stood up and paid no attention to the demon’s strong roars while he was trying to remove his axe from the pillar by pulling on the chain.

She only had eyes for one thing.

For someone.

She followed him with her eyes, following this blazing power in the sky.

Chloe did it.

Mazikeen watched Lucifer’s trajectory in the red skies, figuring out his plans quite easily. He flew over the Lake of Fire and propelled himself – Chloe in his arms – higher in the sky, fast and magnificent in his movements. She saw him swoop to the ground.

Towards her and Moloch.

Mazikeen rushed to the chain of the demon’s axe. She jumped on it, running to reach its higher spot without losing her balance a tiny second. She then climbed on Moloch’s arm who tried to turn his maw to her. She rapidly reached his shoulder, still staring at Lucifer’s progression. She ran on the thick skin, severing Moloch’s head with one single blow to his throat before she took another run-up to jump in the void.

And she lifted her hand towards the red skies.

She knew Lucifer would catch her in flight and he did, taking her away from the decapitated body of her opponent. She looked at Moloch one last time and smiled, wind lashing her hair.

That was the last thing she saw before her master closed his wings on her, a blinding light engulfing her surroundings.

 

**-xXx-**

Chloe didn’t feel that something had changed, at first.

She was just feeling fear; the one that was possessing her, her shaky breathing, her hands tensed on the floor.

On that floor… That cold tiling.

_Tiling?_

Shaking, the detective slowly opened her eyes, not believing what she was seeing either.

Amber sky before the night?

Amber. No red.

She stared at the sky, the patio door leading outside. She stared at the buildings bathed with setting sun.

They made it.

Chloe touched the dark tiling on which she was lying, enjoying the cool breeze of the evening.

No more Hell. Just Los Angeles.

She let out a sigh of relief and lifted her head from the floor, looking for her partner and Mazikeen. She heard her cursed something inappropriate – she was fine. Lucifer didn’t do the same, though, and that worried her. She noticed his arm encircling her waist. Still.

Too much still.

The detective sat up quickly on the floor as Lucifer’s arm slid gently against her hip.

“Lucifer?”

She turned to him, her heart missing a beat as she saw him lying on her side, his unfolded wings swamping much of the space behind. She couldn’t help but look at them for a brief moment, like she was attracted by the vague power contained into them. However, she shook her head and focused again on her partner.

Looking at the divine could wait, right?

Not Lucifer.

He didn’t event flinch when she called him by his name. He was lying there, his shirt covered with blood barely rising with his breathing. She took his head in her hands; he was so pale, sweating… His skin was unusually cold under her palms.

“Lucifer! Wake up! Lucifer?! What’s wrong?” she almost shouted at him, bringing her face closer to his.

A second passed, maybe less. His eyelids finally rose from a few inches, showing his dark irises sprinkled with glowing lines. It looked like his ring. Chloe frowned, more worried than before.

This wasn’t good.

Lucifer gave her a faint smile, his breath brushing Chloe’s cheek as he whispered something to her;

“--Can’t say I didn’t tell you, Detective… --m a… --guardian Devil.”

And his eyes rolled upwards.

Chloe held his face stronger, fear hitting her like a wall.

“Lucifer?! **_Lucifer!_** ”

She kept crying his name. Unable to take her eyes off his eyes shut and his blank features, off that man wrapped by two giant white wings whose feathers were brushed by the evening breeze.

Crying tirelessly this name with her shaking voice.

The Devil’s name, lying unconscious in her arms.

Her partner’s.

An angel’s name.

A fallen angel.

 

 

 

**_TBC with…_** “A warlike approach”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So… action and angst, uh? ^^
> 
> The next one will be about Samael and Eve. A long chapter again. (sigh)
> 
> About translation, what would you prefer? I could wait and translate everything before start to publish again (but for that I must finish the French version and it won’t be for the next weeks, next month’s even), or keep going like this - Like you prefer. 
> 
> And let a little comment as always! ^^

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading me as always. I don't know when I'll publish the next chapter. It won't be long, anyway  
> Bye bye and until next time! 
> 
>  
> 
> Let a comment please ^^


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